Adversity
by Stabson
Summary: We all have adversities, bad situations that we have to deal with, that sometimes we have no control over. Some of us can overcome them. Others can't. Can young Elliot Stabler make it through his own adversities? Will he be able to help Olivia too? E/O AU
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Another story… it's going to be pretty different from all of my other ones. Olivia doesn't show up for a little while, but bare with me, there's going to be plenty of E/O, I promise. There's also going to be a lot of Elliot/Cragen and Elliot/Fin friendship. Just to be a little different. Hope you like it.

_Eight year old Elliot Stabler hurried down the stairs in the house that he lived in with his parents, holding the diorama that his father had helped him make for school. He set it on the kitchen table, and looked at it, proud of his work. It was the first time that his dad had helped him with his homework. _

_When he saw that one of the trees were in front of the soldiers, though, he moved it slightly to the left. Now it was perfect. He stepped away from it to get a pop tart off of the counter, and his father walked into the kitchen._

_Elliot took a bite of his breakfast, and said, "Hi Dad."_

"_Don't talk with your mouth full," the older Stabler said gruffly. _

_Elliot shrugged off the angry tone of his father's voice… he was used to it by now. "Sorry," he said after he had swallowed. _

_Joe grunted in response, and walked over to look at the project that they had finished together. Elliot smiled, "Thanks for helping me."_

_Joe studied it for a second, and noticed the small change that Elliot had made to the tree. He turned to his son, "You moved one of the trees."_

_It was an angry tone, one that Elliot wasn't expecting. Why would he be angry about moving the tree? It was just a small change. He knew that Joe angered easily, but not this easily. He shrugged his shoulders, picking it up from the table, "It was in front of one of the soldiers. I moved it so you could see him, that's all. I think that it looked better like that."_

_Before Elliot knew what was happening, Joe ripped it out of his hands, threw it on the ground, and started stomping on it. _

"_Dad…!" Elliot said, feeling tears well up in his eyes. Why would he do that? _

_The tears streamed down his cheeks, and Joe looked up at him, noticing the wetness on his son's face. Elliot stepped back, and watched his father take off his belt… what was he doing? _

_And then he felt pain. The belt whipped across his back, and he stumbled into the table. More tears streamed down his cheeks as he felt the leather hit him again and again… _

_It seemed like forever before it finally stopped. Tears streamed down Elliot's face, he didn't know what to do, or what to say… so he cried. _

"_Dry your tears," Joe said from above him, "Only pansies cry."_

_And then he was gone. _

It was six years later. Elliot pulled into his parking space in the driveway of the very same house, and checked his watch… shit, he was late. Quarter to twelve. His curfew was eleven. He was going to get his ass kicked…

He slipped into the house, and closed the door as quietly as he could. Looking around, he toed off his shoes, and slowly made his way towards the stairs.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Elliot jumped as he heard the strong, deep voice of his father. He turned, and saw him, tall and broad-shouldered. They were close in height now, unlike those years ago… but Joe was still bigger, and still stronger. He was wearing his police uniform, and he didn't look happy. But then again, when did he?

"I. uh…" Elliot started, but stopped when he felt Joe's palm connect with his face. He stumbled back, bringing his fingers to his stinging cheek. He wasn't very surprised by the act of violence… it had happened all to often in the Stabler house. But that didn't make it hurt any less.

"What, you think I'm stupid? You think I wouldn't notice you snuck out?" Joe asked, his voice raising in volume with every word.

"No, I…"

Joe punched Elliot in the stomach, making him double over, groaning quietly in pain. He pressed his palms against Elliot's back, and kneed him twice before pushing him away, making him fall to the floor, clutching his aching stomach.

Elliot didn't tell his father that he'd been stuck in traffic on the way home. He didn't tell him that there had been a girl his age, broken down on a busy road, that he had stopped to help her. And Joe didn't give him a chance to apologize for being late or tell his side if the story. But it wouldn't have mattered anyway. Joe would have beaten him either way.

"I'll teach you to sneak out," Joe said, and then Elliot heard the unmistakable sound of his belt buckle. He squeezed his eyes shut, and went to another place as Joe whipped the belt over his back.

"Get your ass upstairs," Joe said when the abuse finally stopped, "I'm going in." 

When Elliot heard the door slam shut, he dragged himself to the table slowly, using it to help him stand up. He winced, feeling an unbearable pain in his back. But there were no tears on his face. He'd learned long ago that tears only made his father angrier. So he had forced himself to stop crying. It didn't help, anyway.

"Elliot?" he heard his mother's soft voice from the doorway, "I heard something down here. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, mom," he answered, trying to keep the pain out of his voice. "You can go back upstairs."

"Where's your father?" Bernie asked.

"He left," Elliot told her.

She walked over to him, and rested a palm on his back. Elliot squeezed his eyes shut, and bit his lip in pain. He leaned heavily on the table, his whole body throbbing.

Bernie sighed knowingly, "What did he do to you, Elliot?"

"Nothing," he answered quickly, "I told you, I'm fine. I just… fell on the way in."

The scene was all too familiar for both of them. It been repeated over and over again for the past eight and a half years. He lied. He would say that he fell, or got hit by a ball or got into a fight with someone at school. But he knew that there was no point in lying. He knew that she knew. She had known since he was fifteen.

Bernie pulled him into her arms gently, "I hate when he hurts you like this."

"I can handle it," he said, staring down at the table.

"I know you can. You're a strong boy. But that doesn't mean that you should have to," she said softly in his ear.

"I deserved it," he muttered quietly.

"Hey. You look at me," Bernie said, and when he did, she continued, "You could never do anything to deserve what he puts you through."

Elliot shrugged his shoulders, not quite believing her, but not quite disbelieving her either.

"We should go. We should leave and never come back."

"No," Elliot answered, "We can't. I'm sixteen, mom… two years. Two years and I can get out of here. He'll never touch you, I can handle it. I'll be fine."

Bernie sighed, "At least let me take care of you. I don't like seeing you this hurt."

"Okay," he gave in.

She took his arm gently, and guided him up to his bedroom. She sat him down on the bed, "Can I see?"

He nodded, and she unbuttoned his black shirt, gently pushing it off of his shoulders. She turned his body, and gasped when she saw the angry, red marks covering his back, "Oh, God, Elliot…"

Bernie's fingers went to touch his red skin, but she stopped herself, knowing that it would only cause him more pain, "Stay still."

She walked into the bathroom, and returned with a cold, wet cloth and two Advil. She handed him the pills, and he swallowed them gratefully. Bernie smiled softly at him, and ran a hand through his soft, fuzzy hair lovingly, "Why don't you lay down and get some rest?"

Elliot followed her wishes, laying down on his stomach. He felt the wet cloth on his back… it was cold, and it felt good against his aching bones. Bernie took his hand, and held it with both of hers, trying to soothe him as well as his pain. He closed his eyes, relaxed by her touch, and just by her presence. Slowly, he drifted off to sleep.

A/N: Thanks for reading… next chapter, Elliot goes to school and talks with his best friend.


	2. Chapter 2

When Elliot walked down the stairs, leaning heavily on the banister due to the beating that he'd suffered through the night before, he was happy to see that his father wasn't there.

"Are you sure you want to go to school today? You still look pretty banged up," Bernie said from the kitchen table.

"Yeah. I'm alright," Elliot answered, "It only hurts a little bit."

He grabbed his keys from one of the three key hooks above the counter.

"You don't want any breakfast?"

"No thanks. I'm not hungry."

"Okay," Bernie answered, "Bye."

"Bye, Mom," Elliot said, and then he was out the door.

Elliot got out of his truck, and winced as he felt a pang of pain in his ribs. Sighing, he threw his backpack over his shoulder, and started walking to the building.

"Hey, man," he heard from behind him, and turned to see his best friend, Fin.

"Hey," he answered, waiting for him to catch up.

"Man, he beat you again?" Fin asked, noticing the small limp and the wince that he made.

He hesitated, but nodded, "Yeah. He did."

Fin sighed, shaking his head, "Man, you gotta tell someone about him."

"No," Elliot answered, "I can't."

"Why not?" Fin asked, "Dude, he's gonna put you in the hospital one of these days."

He was slightly frustrated with his friend… this had been going on for a long time, but it seemed like he just couldn't tell anyone else. He just goes home, and gets beaten by his father all over.

"I know how to handle him. I don't fight back, just let him do his thing… usually nothing ends up broken."

Elliot opened the door to the school, and they both walked in before Fin spoke again, "This ain't gonna end well, Elliot. You know that as well as I do."

"I just want to keep my family together, Fin. I can handle a little pain to do it."

Fin knew that he was not going to win with Elliot. So said a quick bye, and took a left down the hall, heading to his homeroom. Elliot sighed, lowering his eyes to the floor as he walked. Fin's words echoed in his head… yes, deep inside he knew that it wouldn't end well. But he had to do his part. He had to keep his family together. He couldn't break it apart just because of a little pain.

_But it's more than a little pain_, he heard from the back of his mind, _he beats you at least once a week. Usually more. _

He could hang on for two more years. Just two more years, and he could get out of that house and Joe would never beat him again.

But what Elliot didn't know, was that soon, the course of his life would change forever.

Elliot walked into the house two weeks later, his mood happy. Bernie was sitting at the kitchen table when he entered, and she smiled, "Hi. How was school?"

"Good," he answered, setting his keys down on the counter.

"That's good," she said, "I'm glad."

The door suddenly slammed, and they both jumped. Joe.

"Why don't you go out?" Bernie suggested, knowing that Joe was pissed, and knowing what would happen if Elliot was around. "Go for a drive, go see Fin or something."

He nodded reluctantly, and picked up his keys again, slipping them into his jacket pocket. He hated running away… but he hated being his father's punching bag even more. He was almost to the door, almost to freedom, when he heard Joe's voice.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Elliot swallowed, and took a deep breath, turning slowly. He almost winced when he saw the rage in his father's eyes. This was going to hurt.

"Just going for a ride," he answered, "You want to come? Blow of some steam?"

He knew that this wasn't going to work. He was going to get beaten. But at least he could try. Maybe it would help, even a little bit.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Joe asked, shoving him.

"Don't touch him, Joe," Bernie said, finally stepping in for her son.

"Go upstairs, Bernadette," Joe answered, "Let me and Elliot handle this."

"I'm not leaving so you can torture our son."

"Just go upstairs, Mom," Elliot said softly. He knew what was going to happen. Joe didn't care if she had to watch what was going to happen.

"Elliot…"

"Don't. It's okay." It wasn't going to be okay. But he had to say something. He had to get his mother out of there.

She bit her lip, and stared at him for a second before leaving the room. Elliot watched her go, resigned, and then turned back to his father.

"Good boy," Joe said, grabbing fistfuls of his shirt.

"I just don't want my mother to have to watch you beat her son," Elliot told him, and Joe chuckled.

"What happened this time?" Elliot asked, once again trying to soften his father up. But once again, it didn't work. Joe slung him across the room, and he hit the trashcan, falling onto his back.

"You don't need to worry about it," he stated.

Elliot shrugged, nearly un-phased by the sudden act of violence. This was just a warm-up, after all. Joe hadn't even gotten started yet.

'Just wanted to know why I'm being used as a punching bag this time."

Joe grabbed his shirt, and yanked him to his feet. Then his fist was connecting with Elliot's face. Everything after that was a blur… he tried to block the pain out, but it seared through him, brutal and unforgiving. He saw Joe, punching him in the face, himself sinking to the ground, leaning against the wall. Then kicking, directly to his stomach.

He couldn't do anything but sit there and take it. Then he was on his feet again, surprised that he could even stand. Before he knew it, he was on the floor, and a new wave of pain was washing over him. He knew that he was bleeding, but he didn't know where, or why. It was the worst beating that he had ever gotten.

Suddenly, he couldn't breath. Everything was clear again. Joe had him pinned up against the wall, one of his hands was wrapped around his neck, choking him.

He was going to die. That was all that he could think about, the only thing that would register in his mind, which was clouded with pain. Without even thinking about it, his leg shot forward, and he kicked Joe as hard as he could. The grip on his neck loosened, and he fell to the ground, coughing and sputtering, trying to catch his breath.

Joe grabbed his shirt, pulled him to his feet, "You dare touch me?"

If he wasn't so hurt, he would laugh. How dare _he_ touch _him_?

When he didn't answer, still trying to breath, Joe dragged him to the door, "Get out. Get out and stay out. I don't want to see your face around here again."

Then he was on the grass, which was damp with the evening dew. The few tears that fell from his eyes mixed with the wetness.

It was the first time that he cried in years.

He got up slowly, and gritted his teeth, god it hurt. He walked to his truck, and climbed into the driver's seat. He looked at his reflection in the rearview mirror, and saw his bloody nose, the small bruise forming under his eye, from when Joe elbowed him in the face.

He sighed heavily, and leaned back in the seat, more tears forming in his eyes. He sniffled, not just feeling the physical pain, but mental pain as well. He didn't know how much more he could take.

The passenger's side door opened, and Bernie got in the truck, "Elliot?"

He swallowed, trying to be strong for her, "Go back inside, Mom," he told her in the strongest voice that he could muster.

Bernie reached into her pocket, and pulled out a fresh handkerchief, gently wiping away the blood on his face, "Elliot, please…"

"He wants me out, not you," he said, "It's okay. Just… go ahead back in. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine."

She leaned over, and kissed him on the cheek, giving in, "Okay. But you make sure you come back, okay? Spend a night or two with Fin, and then you come back."

He nodded his head, but was not sure if he was being truthful or not. He was sick of being beaten by his father all the time, for no reason other than him having a hard day. Or stupid shit like moving a fucking _tree_ on a school project. If he didn't come back, he would never get beaten again. But then again, if he left, he would have no one. He would be alone.

Bernie gave him another kiss, and got out. Elliot started the truck, and pulled away from the house.

Twenty minutes later, he was knocking on the wood of a front door, leaning against the doorframe heavily. His nose was slowly starting to bleed again, his ribs were throbbing. Fin opened the door.

"Damn, man. What the hell happened to you?" he asked, noticing his friend's injuries immediately. Bloody nose, split lip, a slow forming black eye.

"He beat the shit outta me. Told me to get out and not come back," Elliot said hoarsely, "I had no where else to go…"

"Man, get your ass in here," Fin said, moving to let him in, "What're you talkin' about? You know that you can come here."

Elliot smiled slightly, and limped into the house, "Thanks, man. Really. If it weren't for you, I'd be sleeping in my truck."

"Fin, who's at the- Elliot?" Fin's mother asked worriedly as she walked into the living room, "My God, you look awful. What happened?"

"He got into a fight," Fin answered for him.

Mrs. Tutuola rested a hand on his back, "Come in, and sit down. Fin, go get the first aid kit, please."

She guided Elliot to the couch, and sat him down, looking him over and wincing. Someone really messed him up… "I should call your parents. Let them know you're okay."

Elliot shook his head immediately, "Please, don't. They know I'm here…"

Mrs. Tutuola gave him a strange look, and Fin returned, handing her the kit. She opened it, and went to work cleaning his face.

"Where else are you hurt?" she asked. His hand went to his stomach, and he winced slightly.

"Can't do much about that," she said, "I'll get you some Advil, you can stay here tonight. Are you sure you don't want me to call your parents?"

He nodded, "Yeah. Thanks, Mrs. Tutuola."

She walked into the kitchen, and Fin sat beside Elliot, "He's getting worse, isn't he? I've never seen you this banged up."

Elliot nodded slowly, keeping his eyes glued to the carpet.

"You should tell my mom, Elliot. He's going to kill you one of these days."

He swallowed, "He almost did. Tonight."

"What?" Fin asked, "What the hell did he do to you?"

"He almost strangled me," he said.

Mrs. Tutuola walked back in, carrying two Advil and a glass of water, "Here you go, Elliot. You want to tell me who beat you up now?"

Elliot hesitated, bit his lip.

"Tell her, man," Fin urged.

Mrs. Tutuola sat on the other side of Elliot, and put a hand on his back, "It's okay. You can trust me. Who hurt you, Elliot?"

Elliot stared down at the floor, swallowed hard, "My… my father." He muttered.

"Your father?" she repeated, "_Joe_ did this to you?"

Elliot only nodded.

"You're going to stay here tonight, and tomorrow we'll go to the police and report him."

Elliot's head snapped up, and his eyes widened. He couldn't. He couldn't tell the cops about his father. "What? No, no. I can't."

"He had no right to hurt you," Mrs. Tutuola said, squeezing his shoulder gently.

"I know," he answered, "But I can't."

"Elliot…"

He stood quickly, "I have to go. Thanks for everything, Mrs. Tutuola."

"Elliot, wait…" she called after him.

He walked out the door, and closed it behind him.

Mrs. Tutuola sighed, and turned to her son, "How long has this been going on?"

"A while," Fin answered.

"Why didn't you tell me? Why didn't Elliot try and get help?"

"I dunno, Mom. He begged me not to tell anyone."

Mrs. Tutuola shook her head, and picked up the phone.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

She looked at her son, "I'm helping that poor boy."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: What's going to happen now that Elliot has cut off the Tutuolas? Will he go back home to get beaten again? Or will he be on his own?

* * *

Elliot got into his truck, slamming the door shut, releasing just an ounce of his pent up anger and sadness. He pulled out of the driveway, and clutched the steering wheel tightly as he drove. He knew that the Tutuolas were just trying to help him… but as screwed up as his family was, he had to keep them together. He had to protect them. He couldn't be responsible for breaking his family apart.

Tears formed in his eyes, and he let out a single, strangled sob. That was it. He had burned his final bridge. He was truly alone. He shook his head. Who was he kidding? He'd always been alone.

Going back to his parents crossed his mind, but he dismissed the thought immediately. It had only been a few hours since the worse beating of his life. He couldn't-he _wouldn't_ go crawling back to get beaten again.

He blinked tiredly, and wiped his eyes. Looked like he was crashing in the truck tonight. He pulled into an empty parking lot, turned t ignition off, and locked the door before shoving the seat back ask far as it would go. He closed his eyes, and drifted off to sleep.

Elliot woke up hours later to knocking on the window. He pulled the seat up, and saw two cops standing in front of the window. He rolled it down.

"Are you Elliot Stabler?" the chubby one on the left asked.

"Yeah," he answered, "What's up?"

His thoughts immediately went to his parents. They didn't call the cops, did they? Why _would_ they? Joe didn't care where he was. And he probably wouldn't let his mom do that either.

"Got someone who wants to have a word with you," the one on the left said, "You want to come with us?"

"Did I do something?" Elliot asked.

"No, no. It's nothing like that," Chubby told him, "Just come to the station with us so we can sort this out."

"Yeah, yeah," he agreed, "Sure."

They stepped out of the way, and Elliot got out.

A half an hour later, he was sitting in an interview room alone. He didn't know what was going on… how had the cops known who he was? What did they want with him?

The door opened, and a man with dark, thinning hair wearing a brown suit walked in.

"Sorry to keep you waiting," he said, walking to the table where Elliot sat, "Had to take care of some things. I'm Detective Cragen, you can call me Don. You want something to drink? Soda or something?"

"No thanks," Elliot answered, "What's going on? I was sitting in my truck and then two cops bring me down here. Why?"

Don sighed, and sat down across from him, "A concerned parent called in. Said that things weren't going to good for you at home."

Mrs. Tutuola, Elliot realized, and exhaled heavily, resting his face against his palms. He was going to get the shit beat out of him if Joe found out.

"Elliot?" Don asked, lowering his eyes to meet the teen's, "You want to talk about it?"

"No," he answered, standing, "There's nothing to talk about. Everything's fine at home."

"Then who beat the crap out of you?" Cragen asked gently.

Elliot rested his hand against the wall, and he stared down at the floor. He was torn… he was so sick of being Joe's punching bag. He'd almost been killed. But he was his _dad_. Sure Joe had been an ass, but he had been there since he was born. How could he turn on his own father? _He's turned on you, _he heard a voice whisper from the back of his mind, _H_e _turned on you when you were eight years old. _

"You need some time to think," Don said, "So you sit here and do that. But just remember; I'm on your side here, Elliot. I only want what's best for you."

Elliot glanced at him as he walked out, and sighed heavily. What was he supposed to do? Turn his father in, or go home and get beaten all over again?

He moved to sit down at the table, and dropped his head into his palms. God, he was so confused. His head was spinning.

On the other side of the glass, Don, Captain John Schuler and their psychologist, Abby Marx watched the conflicted teen.

"What do you think?" Don asked, studying Elliot as he sat at the table.

"Well, something's definitely going on," Marx stated, "He's very troubled."

Don's heart softened for Elliot… no one deserved to be put through what he had been… no child should have to grow up that quickly.

"So, do you think he'll talk?" Schuler asked.

"Only if he feels safe. He needs to know that he's stable and that everything is going to be okay before he tells us anything. Don, try to be a father figure to him. If what you heard is true, then that's what he truly needs right now."

The detective nodded, and turned to walk out of the pit.

Don placed a can of Coke in front of Elliot, who still had his head in his hands. He looked up, saw the can, and for a second, it looked like he didn't know what do with it.

"Thanks," he said, his voice raspy.

"You're welcome," Don answered, taking a seat.

Elliot opened it, and took a sip, just realizing how thirsty he was. Don was silent for a few minutes, but Elliot knew what he was going to ask when he finally spoke. He wished that the detective just didn't speak forever. He wasn't ready to make this decision.

"Have you thought about what I said?" Don asked finally.

Elliot nodded slowly, keeping his eyes glued to the table. Don waited a few seconds before speaking again, "Good. So what do you think?"

He shrugged in response. His _father_. How could he turn in his own father? Granted, the man was awful, but Elliot couldn't tear his family apart like that. He knew that somewhere, deep inside of him, he still loved Joe. He was so confused… he didn't know what he was supposed to do.

Cragen sighed as he watched Elliot. He recognized the look on the teenager's face… it was a look that he saw all too often in the Special Victims Unit.

"Like I said, I'm on your side, son. I just want you to be safe. Safe and happy. So you can talk to me."

Elliot swallowed, making his decision. He still had to protect his family. This wasn't an option. "I told you, there's nothing to talk about. Everything's fine."

"I know that's not true, Elliot," Don said softly, "Please talk to me."

Don knew that there was something wrong. This boy… he had been through a lot more than he should have had to. Don could see it in his eyes.

Elliot stood, "I have to go."

"Where?" Don asked.

"Home," he answered, hoping that the detective would believe him. He just had to get out of there.

"Why are you going back there, Elliot?" Don asked, standing as well, "Why are you going back there?"

"Because I have to," he blurted out without thinking.

'I have to'. Not 'they're my family' or 'Because I love them'. He had said 'Because I have to'. Elliot realized his mistake immediately. He froze just as he reached for the door knob. Damn it.

"What do you mean, you have to?" the detective asked, walking over to them slowly.

Elliot swallowed, lowering his eyes to the floor, "Okay, I give. You're right," he said quietly. He had broken down… he couldn't hold it in anymore.

Cragen nodded, "C'mon. Let's sit down."

Elliot nodded, and walked back over to the table to sit down. Maybe… just maybe, he was ready to talk.

* * *

A/N: Please review.


	4. Chapter 4

Elliot waited several seconds before he spoke again, "I… I know that it's not right," he whispered, "And I know that I should tell you. But… he's my _dad_. I don't want to tear my family apart."

"I get it, Elliot," Don said, "But is it really worth keeping together? Is it really worth your suffering?"

Elliot shook his head, "No. you're right. My father. He…" he swallowed hard. Damn, this was more difficult than he thought it would be. He took a deep breath, and said it in nothing more than a whisper, "He beats me."

The detective nodded, "When did it start?" he asked gently.

"When I was eight," Elliot told him, "He… he used his belt the first time. But… he used his fists, too, after that. It got worse as I got older. Last night… he almost strangled me. I hit him… first time I'd done that. And he kicked me out. Told me not to come back."

His fists clenched on the table as a wave of emotion threatened to drown him… anger, sadness, and others that he didn't even recognize. But none of them felt good. Cragen reached over the table, and squeezed his arm comfortingly, "It's okay, son. You're doing good."

There was a tap on the glass, and the detective got up from his seat, "You stay here, I'll be right back."

When he walked into the pit, there was another man standing there with Marx and the captain. He could tell that this was Elliot's father.

"Detective Cragen, this is Joe Stabler. Elliot's father," Schuler stated.

"What are you doing with my son?" Joe demanded.

"We're just talking," Don stated, shrugging his shoulders.

Joe walked over to the glass, and banged on it hard. Don watched Elliot jump, his head snapped up. The look in his eyes… it was if he knew who it was, behind the mirror.

"I think you should leave, Mr. Stabler," Don said. He needed more time with Elliot… the boy was hesitant enough as it was. If his father got to him, it would be the end of it.

"You have my son. I'm not leaving without him," Joe stated.

The door opened slowly, and Don turned to see Elliot walk out of the interview room.

"What are you doing here, Elliot?" Joe asked, "Never mind. Let's go home."

Elliot wrenched his arm out of Joe's grasp, and took a step away from him, shaking his head, "I'm not going anywhere with you."

"What did you tell them?"

He took a deep breath, just waiting for Joe to come at him, hit him again, "The truth. Like I should have done eight years ago."

And before anyone could do anything, Joe's fist was in Elliot's face, and he was stumbling back into the filing cabinet behind him. He lost his balance, and both he and the cabinet toppled over onto the floor.

Don flung Joe to the floor, and cuffed him before going to Elliot's side, who was bloody and still crumpled on the ground.

"Elliot?" the detective asked, resting a hand on his back as he knelt beside him. "Are you okay?"

"I'll live," he answered, wincing as he started to get up.

Schuler took Joe away, and Marx stood back, watching as Don helped Elliot to his feet. The detective winced as he saw the blood trickling down his upper lip.

Elliot's fingers went to touch the wetness, and he sighed, feeling the blood on his fingertips.

"Come on, Elliot," the detective said, guiding him into the bullpen, "Let's get you cleaned up."

* * *

"How long do you think he'll be in jail?" Elliot asked as Marx wiped the blood off his face with a cotton ball, "I mean… if he gets convicted."

"Oh, he'll get convicted," Don answered from his desk chair, "Don't worry, Elliot. He'll be in jail for a while. The ADA won't go easy on him for eight years of abuse."

Elliot took a deep, shaky breath, but didn't say a word.

"Are you having second thoughts?" Marx asked.

"No," he answered with conviction, "I'm tired of running. I'm ready to stop this," he gave a nervous laugh, "Besides, it's not like I can turn back now, can I?"

"Everything will be better without him, Elliot," Don said comfortingly, "Trust me."

The teen nodded his head, "I… I know."

Marx dabbed his face once more, and threw the cotton pad into the trash can next to Don's desk, "Well, that's it. Does it hurt very much?"

"A little," he answered, shrugging.

Don looked at his watch, "Well, it's almost eight. You want to grab something to eat?"

Elliot's stomach growled, reminding him that lunch the day before had been far off. He nodded his head, "Sure."

"Café's just around the corner. We can walk," Don said, smiling at the teen, figuring that he deserved a break from talking.

So ten minutes, they were walking down the sidewalk together. Elliot kept his hands shoved in the pockets of his jeans, watching the cars and the people pass by. He was trying to get his mind off of his father and what was happening for a while, but it wasn't working. It was all that he could think about.

What was going to happen? Would Joe really get convicted? Would it really just be him and his mom?

He couldn't help but think about how good that would be… no more beatings, no more tiptoeing around his dad, afraid of being beaten.

Don studied Elliot… he's seen so many victims before, but he was different. Don didn't know how, but Elliot was different. He looked just like any other teenager… his face was soft, glowing, his eyes were bright, but there was something deeper. Something darker. And Don knew what it was… it was almost a decade of Joe's beatings.

"Do you think about it a lot?" he asked softly, more to himself than to Elliot. He had never known the answers to these questions… he'd never asked.

"What?" Elliot asked, kicking a rock as his eyes rose to meet Don's face.

"Your father."

He stopped walking, and turned to Cragen. The happiness and the glow were gone from his features. His face had hardened. Sadness, pain and something that he could only describe as age filled his eyes. Don's heart dropped as he realized that these emotions had been his company, instead of joy and laughter, like all children should feel.

"Yeah," he whispered, lowering his gaze, "All the time."

Don was about to speak, but Elliot continued, "Why?" he asked softly, "What did I do, why does he have to… I know he has a stressful job, he's a cop, too, but…" he swallowed, shaking his head, "I'm pissed off. Mostly at him… but at myself, for not trying to stop him sooner. For not…"

He trailed off, unable to finish what he was going to say.

Don's hand went to pat Elliot's back, trying to comfort the teen in some way. He didn't really understand how Elliot really felt, but he knew that it wasn't a good thing to feel. So he said the only thing that came to mind, "I'm so sorry, Elliot."

Elliot looked up at Don, and was silent for a few seconds before he spoke again, "I think… I think it might be okay, now, though."

Don nodded his head, giving a small, reassuring smile, "That's right. It will be. Come on, let's go."

* * *

A/N: Sorry for such a long wait, guys! And sorry for such a short chapter… next one will be long and soon! Lol. But PLEASE drop a review. It makes my day brighter


	5. Chapter 5

"So what happens now?" Elliot asked as he pushed a sausage around his plate.

"Well, Joe will be arraigned, and there will be a trial," Don answered.

He nodded his head, and they were silent for a few minutes before he spoke again, "Will I have to testify?"

Don nodded his head, "Yeah. You will. You, and everyone else who knew about what happened. _Does_ anyone else know?"

"Yeah. My mom, my buddy Fin and his mom," Elliot answered, "She's the one that called you, isn't she? Mrs. Tutuola."

"She was," the detective stated.

Elliot nodded, "I should have known that she was going to. Last night, after my dad kicked me out… I went over to Fin's place. She cleaned me up, and I told her. Took off when she told me that she wanted to call you."

"She did anyway," Don stated.

"Yeah. She did."

"So where's your mom?"

"At home."

"When we get back, I'll try and get in touch with her."

Elliot nodded, liking the idea of getting to see his mom, "Okay."

"No answer," Don said, hanging up the phone.

Elliot frowned, "That's weird. She's always home."

"I'll have a talk with your father," the detective stated.

"Let me," the younger man started, "Let me come, too."

"Elliot, I don't think that's such a good idea," Don said. The last time that he and Joe were together, Elliot wound up with a bloody nose. He didn't want him to get hurt like that again.

"Please," Elliot pleaded, "That's my mother."

Don stared intently at him for several seconds, and finally answered, "Okay. But you have to do exactly what I say, alright? I don't want anyone getting hurt in there."

He nodded immediately, "Thanks."

And then they were walking into the interrogation room. Joe was sitting, strumming his fingers against the table.

"Elliot," he stated, "What are you doing here?"

"Where's my mother?" he asked, ignoring his father's question. He stood by the glass, as far away from the man as he could get, and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Why does it matter? You know as well as I do that she's crazy."

Anger flowed through his veins. He clenched his fists, and suddenly, eight years of abuse and neglect came out. He took three quick steps, and kicked the empty chair across the room. The two older men jumped as it crashed against the wall. Elliot pressed his palms against the table, leaning menacingly over Joe.

"Where is she?" he demanded, his voice rising with each word, "If you keep playing with me like this, I swear…"

"You've got some fire in you, boy," Joe said, laughing, "Looks like you inherited something good from me after all. I was beginning to think that you were going to be like her. Weak, head up in the clouds. But you're going to be just like me."

Don saw it coming from a mile away. Elliot lunged at Joe, and the detective grabbed the teen around the waist, pulling him back.

"Relax, Elliot," he said in his ear, "Relax."

He dragged Elliot out of the room, and released him. He paced the floor, running his hand through his hair.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly, stopping in his place, "I don't know what happened in there."

Joe's words rung in his ears… _You're going to be just like me_. If he ever turned out like that man… he would hang himself. He never wanted to be like Joe. Angry… all the time, bitter, beating his own son whenever he had a rough day, and even when he didn't.

His heart sunk when he realized that he was already going down that path. He'd been so close to hitting Joe in there… so close. He'd been so angry. It was scary. He'd never felt like that before.

"It' alright, son," Don said, resting a hand on his back, "You're brave for facing him. I know how hard it is, and what you did in there… that was pretty damn amazing."

Elliot gave him a small, troubled smile, "Thanks."

Don's eyebrows furrowed, "Are you okay?"

He swallowed, and shook his head, "I'm fine."

"Everything's going to be okay, Elliot. You're a good kid."

"Am I?" he whispered, looking down at the floor.

"Okay," the detective said, "You think you're bad because you got a little angry?"

"A little?" he scoffed, "I've… I've never been like that before."

"You believe him. You think that you're going to be like him," the detective realized, remembering what Joe had said. He was answered with a hesitant nod. Don pat his shoulder, "You're going through a lot right now, Elliot. It's okay to feel what you're feeling. It's completely normal."

Elliot looked up at him, somehow believing him, "O-okay."

Don nodded, "But I don't want you in there. He's just going to keep provoking you. I want you to stay here. Alright?"

Elliot sighed, "Yeah. Thanks for letting me try."

The detective nodded, and walked back into the interrogation room. Elliot turned to the one-way glass, and watched the scene unfold in front of him.

"You see how crazy he is?" Joe asked.

"I don't think he's crazy," Don answered, shrugging his shoulders, "I think that he's a troubled boy who needs a lot of love because of what he was forced to live through. I think that he's strong, and brave, and you should be proud to have a son like him."

A lump formed in Elliot's throat when he heard Don's words. No one had ever talked about him like that before. The door to the bullpen opened suddenly, and Schuler walked in.

"Elliot," he said, surprised, "What are you doing in here?"

He shrugged, "Just watching."

"Are you sure? These things can get pretty ugly."

"I'm sure. I want to know where my mother is. He knows where she is… I know he does," he stated, crossing his arms.

Schuler nodded, "Alright."

"Where is his mother?" Don asked, making both of them turn their attention back to the interrogation.

"Nut house," Joe said, shrugging, "After Elliot left last night, she came inside, wild and screaming. So I had her committed."

"What was she screaming about?"

Joe was silent.

"Joe? What was she screaming about?"

"She was blaming me for ruining our son," he finally admitted, "But what did I do? You know?"

Don shot up, and threw Joe against the nearest wall, "Try physically and emotionally beating the shit out of him for the past eight years. I _talked_ to him, Stabler. He blames himself for what happened. He's scared to death that he'll turn into you, because he hates you. You're supposed to be a role model for him, teach him how to be a good man. He's had to learn that all by himself. You're damn lucky that he turned out so good. You don't have a clue how much you hurt him, do you?"

Elliot ran a shaking hand through his hair as he realized that everything that Don said was true. The captain placed hand on his back in an attempt to comfort him, but he flinched away. All's he could think about was _his_ touch… the touch that had inflicted so much pain on him.

"You're sick. How could do that to him? What did he do to deserve it, huh? What did he do to have his childhood ripped away from him? You keep in mind that you caused that. You caused that boy… that _child_ to suffer."

"I'd like to call a lawyer," Joe said calmly.

Don let him go, and just stared at him for a few seconds before he walked out.

Elliot stepped back, away from the glass, his head spinning, "If my dad goes to jail, and my mom's in a psych ward, than that means I…"

"You'll go into foster care," Schuler finished softly.

Elliot swallowed hard, and ran his hand over his face, turning away from the two men. Everything was happening so fast… too fast.

"Elliot…" Don started, reaching to touch his shoulder.

He pulled away, and walked out without a word. Don turned to the captain, silently asking for permission. He was answered by a soft, "Go."


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Okay, guys, here's the next chapter. I promise, Olivia will come in soon! If you've read all my other stories, you know that I can't write one without a little E/O romance going on! Be patient, and you will be rewarded. Lol. Oh, yeah, and another SVU character makes their appearance… who is it going to be?

Elliot jogged up onto the roof, and looked around, breathing heavily. He sighed, and walked to the railing, looking down at the city.

His head was spinning; his heart had sunk into the pit of his stomach. Beads of sweat trickled down his forehead. God, he felt like shit. His mother was gone, his father was probably going to jail. It was official.

Everything was changing. For the worst, or for the better, he wasn't sure. But he was terrified of what the answer might be. His grip tightened around the railing as he felt himself start to break down.

Cragen opened the door, and saw Elliot standing next to the edge, looking down.

"Hey," the detective greeted softly, moving to stand next to him, "How'd you find your way up here?"

Elliot shrugged his shoulders, keeping his eyes glued to the horizon. He didn't feel like talking anymore. He just wanted normal parents, and normal problems. He didn't want a bipolar mother, or an asshole father. He was at the end of his rope… he didn't know how much more he could take.

"I get it, Elliot…"

"No, you don't," he answered softly, "You can't. I just… I want drop it, okay? I don't want to do this anymore."

"Why, so you can go home and get beaten all over again?"

Elliot's eyes narrowed, and he turned, taking a swing at the detective. Don ducked under the blow, and pulled Elliot close to him. Elliot collapsed in his arms, and his body shook lightly with sobs. He couldn't hold it in anymore.

Don pat his back lightly, trying to comfort him. It was the first time that he had truly let go, that he let all his feelings out. Don knew that what he had said was harsh, he felt bad. But he needed to keep Elliot there, and talking. He didn't want to have to watch him go back to that house and continue to suffer like he had been.

Elliot pulled away slowly, and leaned against the railing, sinking down to sit on the floor. He brought his knees to his chest as Don sat next to him. He swallowed, shaking his head, "I-I'm so screwed up…"

"And whose fault is that?" Don asked gently.

Elliot swallowed, "My dad's."

"It's not your fault, Elliot. None of this is your fault. There's nothing that you could have done to prevent it. But now you're here, and you're safe. I know that you don't want to go back home with him. You can trust me, nothing else bad will happen to you. So let me help you."

He sighed shakily. No, he didn't want to go home and get beaten by Joe again. But he didn't want to leave his home, either.

"Okay," he whispered finally, "I'll do it."

"Elliot," Don said, walking into the cribs. Elliot was laying down on one of the beds… he had been tired from not getting much sleep the night before. A woman with short, light hair was walking next to him. "Can I have a word with you?"

Elliot sat up slowly, wiping his eyes, "Yeah. What's up?"

"This is Liz Donnelly," Don said, "She's the A.D.A."

"Oh," Elliot said, "Well, I guess you already know who I am."

"Yes," Liz answered, "I'm sorry about what happened to you…"

"Yeah. Me, too."

She nodded, "Alright. Well, can you tell me about it?"

He took a deep breath, and looked at Cragen for a second before nodding his head.

Liz exited the cribs, leaving Don sitting next to Elliot, who was looking down at the floor.

"You alright?" the detective asked, patting him on the back.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he answered.

"You don't look okay," Don prodded gently, "You know you can talk to me."

Elliot nodded slowly, running a hand through his hair, "Everything's just happening so fast, you know? A couple days ago, I thought I wouldn't be able to get away from him until I was eighteen. And now I'm sitting in a police station, telling you about everything he's done to me, about… testifying against him in court. My mother's in a… a psych ward somewhere. I have no place to go, no one that… that _loves_ me," he shook his head quickly, breaking off.

"Hey. Everything's going to be okay," Don said.

"I hope so…" he answered in a whisper.

Suddenly, the door opened, and Schuler peaked his head in, "Hey, Elliot. There's some people here who want to see you."

Elliot nodded his head, and got up, walking down to the bullpen with Cragen in tow. He was surprised when he saw Fin and his mother standing near Don's desk.

"Hey, man," Fin greeted as he saw his best friend.

"Hey," Elliot answered.

"You're not mad at me?" the other teen asked, surprised. He thought that Elliot would be. He knew that his friend didn't want anyone else to know about what was going on… it was Fin's fault that his mother knew. He was the one that pushed Elliot to talk.

"No, I'm not mad at you. I-I should thank you," Elliot said, giving a nervous laugh. He knew that he shouldn't have run out like he did. They were just trying to help him.

"Elliot," Mrs. Tutuola said, making him look up at her. She rested her hands on his shoulders, and smiled softly at him, "You're a good boy. I couldn't let him hurt you like that anymore. I'm just sorry that you didn't feel like you could tell me sooner."

"Elliot's very brave," Don cut in, looking fondly at the teenager, "It takes a lot to do what he did. Most people wouldn't be able to."

Elliot blushed slightly, and nodded his head, though he knew what the detective was talking about. It _had_ taken a lot.

"I heard about your mom," Mrs. Tutuola said, "During the trial... you're staying with us."

Elliot looked at Don, "Can I?"

"I don't see why not," Don answered, "But before you leave, I'd like to get both of your statements."

"Elliot's been my best friend since we were little," Fin said.

"When did he tell you about his dad?" Don asked.

"When we were ten," he stated, "I went over his house one day. Went to the bathroom, when I came back, I saw him slap Elliot in the face. Then he left, didn't see me. I asked Elliot about it, he told me everything."

"Did you see Joe hit him any other time."

"Nah. We hung out mostly at my house after that."

"Why didn't you tell anyone about it?" the detective asked.

"He begged me not to," Fin answered, "I'd always try to convince him to tell someone, a teacher or something, whenever he came in to school with a new bruise or hurt ribs or something else. But he never did. 'Till my mom, of course."

"So, Mrs. Tutuola," Don began, "Tell me about last night."

"Elliot came over late," she answered, "Someone had beaten him up. He looked awful. I cleaned him up, and asked him who did it. He told me Joe. I wanted to come to you, but he took off. I called you after that. I was worried about him."

Elliot slid off of the desk that he was sitting on when he saw Don and Mrs. Tutuola walking towards him and Fin.

"So, we're all set?" Mrs. Tutuola asked.

"Yes. Thank you," Don answered, and turned to Elliot, "Here's my business card. Cell and home phone's on the back. Call me anytime, alright? Day or night."

"Alright," Elliot answered, "Thanks a lot."

Don smiled, and shook his hand, "No problem. I'll see you soon."

Don pulled into the driveway, and shut off the sedan. He turned to the passenger seat, where Elliot was sitting, looking straight forward. "You ready?"

He sighed heavily, and nodded, "Yeah. Let's get this over with."

They got out of the car, and walked into the Stabler home. Elliot slowly made his way with Cragen in tow, and looked around, remembering. He was suddenly struck with a flashback… Joe's angry features, lunging at him, hitting him.

"You alright?" Don asked, bringing him out of is reverie.

Elliot glanced at him, "Just… remembering."

"Don't torture yourself, Elliot," the detective said, patting his shoulder, "C'mon, let's get your stuff."

The teenager nodded, and they walked up the stairs to his room. It was a normal bedroom… hardwood floor, bed, pictures on the desk. Elliot opened the closet, and Don walked over to the desk, picking up one of the pictures. It was a shot of him and his mother. He was giving a small half smile, leaning his head against his mother's. She had her arms wrapped around him in a motherly hug.

"What are you looking at?" Elliot asked, looking at the detective.

"Good picture," Don said, tilting the frame towards him.

Elliot took the picture, and his gaze softened. A small smile crossed his lips, "She's bipolar, you know," he sighed, "She wasn't the best mom ever. But she was there. She loves me. And now she's gone. Because of me."

"Hey," Don said gently, "Don't say that. It's not your fault; it's your father's. We both know that."

Elliot nodded, and placed the picture in his duffel bag. He finished packing, and they left the house.

"Arraignment's tomorrow. You think you want to go?" Don asked.

Elliot shrugged, "I dunno. I think… I think I'll just go to school and pretend to be normal. But, uh… pick me up after?"

Don smiled, "How 'bout lunch?"

Elliot's lips turned upward, and he nodded his head, "Okay."

Elliot threw his books in his locker, and walked down the hall. Don was waiting for him by the office.

"Hey," he greeted.

Cragen smiled softly at him as they walked out, "Hey. How's it going?"

"It's going," Elliot answered, nodding his head, "So, how did it go?"

"Remand without bail," Don stated, "He's in jail."

He took a deep breath, "That's good."

They both got into Cragen's car, and were off.

"Where were you?" Schuler asked as Don walked into the bullpen.

"I took Elliot to lunch," he answered.

"You're close to him," the captain stated.

Don shrugged, "He's going through a really rough time right now. Hell, he's been going through a rough time since he was eight. He needs a father figure in his life."

"It's more than that, isn't it?"

He hesitated, then nodded slowly, "I look at him, and I ask myself, why? He's one of the sweetest kids I've ever met. What could possibly have set that guy off? He's great; I'd die for a son like him."

"I know, Don. I know. Just don't get too close, okay? Remember, he's a victim, a case. And when it's over…"

"He'll go into foster care. I know."

It wasn't fair, and it wasn't right. But when it was all over, Elliot would be shipped off to ACS. Dom knew how much Elliot didn't want to leave his home like that, but that's what would have happened. Unless someone did something. Unless _he_ did something.

Joe's trial began. Elliot stayed with the Tutuolas, he talked to Don almost every day. Don told him how the trial was going, none of the specifics, of course, but the detective assured him that it was going good for them. The day when he had to testify came, and it was hard. Even harder then admitting it for the first time.

"How does the jury find?" Judge Coleman asked.

"We find the defendant, Joseph Stabler, guilty as charged," the foreman announced.

Elliot nodded his head slowly, and sunk back in his seat, a mix of emotions flowing through him. It was over. It was finally all over.

"We did it, Elliot," Don said.

"We did," Elliot answered, watching as his father was taken away. Joe stopped in front of Elliot, and just looked at him for a second before the guards prodded him along.

Don noticed the look in Elliot's eyes, and his heart sunk. The case may have been won, but Elliot Stabler certainly did not win. His family had been torn apart… and now he had to leave his home. As if things hadn't changed enough for him.

"Hey, Elliot," he found himself saying, "How's this… you're going to spend tonight with the Tutuolas, and I'm going to get some papers. If your dad signs them, you can come and stay with me."

His head shot up, shock and disbelief pooling in his deep blue eyes, "Really? You mean… you want me?"

"Yeah," Don answered. He had no idea what he was doing. Taking Elliot in hadn't crossed his mind at all… but it felt right, like was meant to do this. "If you want, I'd be very happy to have you."

Overcome with emotion, Elliot pulled him into a hug, biting his lips and trying to prevent tears from falling. No one had ever wanted him like that before. No one treated him like Don did.

"Thank you," he whispered.

Don brought his hand to the back of Elliot's neck, and squeezed it gently, "I'm glad to do it."

Don and Elliot walked through the halls of Riker's, and just before the visiting room, Don stopped him, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

Elliot inhaled deeply, and took the papers from Don's hands, "Yeah. He's my father, how hard could it be?"

"Okay," the detective answered, "I'll be right here."

Elliot nodded, and slowly walked through the threshold. Joe looked at him from his spot sitting at the table, "What are you doing here?"

He cleared his throat, and sat across from his father, "I need you to do something for me."

"Oh? And what's that?"

Elliot unfolded the papers, and placed them on the table, sliding them over to Joe, "I need you to sign these."

Joe looked at them, "What are they?"

"I won't have to go into foster care. I'll stay with Detective Cragen," Elliot answered.

"Why should I sign them?"

He took a deep breath, "Because, as much hell as you put me through, and as much as you made me suffer, I know that you love me, deep down. You've already made my life suck. I've never asked you for anything before, so please just sign your name. Please do this for me."

Joe took a deep breath, and pulled the papers a bit closer, "You got a pen?"

A small smile spread across Elliot's lips, and he reached into the pocket of his jeans, pulling out a pen.

"Thank you," he said as Joe slid the papers back over to him.

Joe stared at the wall behind Elliot's head, unable to look his son in the eyes, "Yeah. Now get out of here."

He stood and grabbed the papers on his way out to Don. Out to his new life. He didn't look back. He would never look back.

A/N: Whew! Chapter 6 is over. Next chapter, I promise, OLIVIA! For those of you that are still reading, you have been very patient. But Olivia will be in the next chapter. Please review… I need to know that there actually are people reading. I'm asking for,like, five before the next chapter will be posted.


	7. Chapter 7

Elliot got out of the car, and looked up at the two-story house that Don owned as he slung his bag over his shoulder.

"So, this is it," he said, looking across the car at Don.

"This is it," he answered, "Come on, I'll give you the grand tour."

They walked into the house, and through the living room, then the kitchen, and up the stairs.

"This is your room," Don said, opening at the end of the hall.

The room was plain, white walls, hardwood floors, bed, dresser, closet. A desk stood against the far wall. Elliot took a few steps in, and looked around.

"It's plain, you know, but…"

Elliot shook his head, "It's great."

Don nodded his head, "Well, it's getting late. I'll let you get settled. If you need anything, I'll be downstairs."

Elliot nodded, and Don turned to walk out, but his voice stopped him. He turned, and Elliot said, "Thank you."

Don pat him on the shoulder, "I told you. I'm glad to have you here. Good night."

"Night," he answered, and Don left, closing the door behind him. Elliot dropped his bag next to the bed, and changed into a pair of sweatpants. He sat on the edge of the mattress, rubbing his hands over his knees.

He didn't really know what to do with himself. Usually, when Joe beat him, he'd just take some painkillers and they would knock him out. But Joe hadn't touched him, every bone in his body was perfectly healthy, not a pain or an ache anywhere. It felt great.

Yawning, he laid down, pulling the blanket over him. Sleep came easy that night.

Elliot walked down the stairs, checking his watch as he stepped into the kitchen. He was running early… he wasn't sure how long it would take to get to school from his new home. When he looked up, he saw Don sitting at the table, sipping coffee and looking at the newspaper.

"Morning," the detective greeted.

Elliot gave him a small smile, "Hey."

"You want something to eat?" he asked, "Drink?"

"I should get going," Elliot answered, "See you later."

Don smiled slightly as the younger man walked out of the house. His heart warmed at the thought of him. Not a man, just a boy. Just a boy that had to grow up real fast. Too fast. But he was proud. So proud of how strong the boy was. He knew that every cop had a case… a case that hit them harder than any other. He was sure that Elliot Stabler was that case. And now he had taken him in as his own.

Elliot got out of his truck, and grabbed his back pack, slinging it over his shoulder. He started towards the school, and Fin jogged over to him, "Hey, man."

"Hey," Elliot answered, shoving a hand into his pocket.

"How's Cragen?"

"He's cool. Not crazy and abusive like my dad, at least."

Fin chuckled, "I don't think you'd be that unlucky, man."

Elliot laughed, "Thank God."

They walked into the school, and John Munch walked up to them, "Hey, guys."

"Hey, John," they both replied, continuing down the hall.

"So how is everything, Elliot?" Munch asked. Not many people knew about his father's trial… just a few of Elliot's close friends, John included.

"Good, so far," Elliot answered, "Hope it stays that way. I gotta go to my locker. See you guys later."

The other two boys nodded in agreement, and Elliot turned down the hall. He grabbed his books from his locker, and then headed to his homeroom.

The day went by slowly, and soon Elliot was heading back to his truck. Not wanting to go back to his new home alone, he turned towards the 1-6.

"Hey, Elliot," Schuler greeted as he walked into the SVU squad room, "How're you doing?"

"Alright," Elliot answered, "Is Don around?"

"He's out in the field," the captain stated, "I heard about you and him. I'm glad you have someone. And him, too."

"Yeah, me too," he said, leaning against the doorframe of the office, "I just… hope I don't disappoint him."

Schuler's eyebrows furrowed, "How would you do that?"

Elliot shrugged his shoulders, "I had a dad, you know, but I never really was a son. More like a punching bag. I don't really… know how to act."

"Trust me. He loved you, like his own son. All's you gotta do is love him back."

Elliot opened his mouth to say something, but Don entered at that moment, "Elliot, hey. What's up?"

He shrugged, "Didn't feel like going home right after school, so I decided to stop by and say hi."

Don's heart warmed at that. So, Elliot really did care about him. "Great. Well, I'm probably in for the rest of the afternoon. Take a seat."

Whatever was going on with them, whatever father/son connection that they had, it was great. Neither of them had been happier.

MONTHS LATER…

Elliot got out of his truck, adjusting the NYPD cap that he had swiped from Don on his head. He threw his back pack over his shoulder, and started walking towards the school. He was too preoccupied fixing his black jacket to notice the girl walking towards him, her head bowed. Suddenly, they collided, and she started to fall.

"Whoa," he said, chuckling lightly at he caught her, "Sorry about that."

His heart stopped when he saw her face. She was… so beautiful. Her hair was a soft auburn color, her eyes where light, chocolate brown. Her lips were full and pink, her skin was soft and clear.

"It's alright," she answered in a soft, soothing voice, like… honey. "I'm the one that wasn't paying attention."

"I, uh…" he stuttered, unable to find words. His brain had shut down, the only thing that he could think was how amazingly beautiful she was.

"A-are you new here? I've never seen you before," he said when he was able to speak intelligently again.

"Yeah," she answered shyly, and started to walk away.

He just stared at her retreating form for a moment, mesmerized by her curves before he came to his senses and caught up to her, "I'm Elliot."

"Olivia," she answered, "Umm… can you tell me where 188 is? It's my homeroom."

"Sure," Elliot agreed, trying to keep the excitement out of his voice, "That's my homeroom, too. I'll walk you."

She smiled softly at him, "Okay."

His heart melted at her smile… God, it was so beautiful. "Can I see your schedule?"

Olivia handed him the piece of paper, and he unfolded it, scanning it with his eyes as he pulled his hat off.

"We have a couple of classes together," he said handing the paper back to her.

"Cool," she said, and they walked into their homeroom, sitting next to each other.

Their conversation continued throughout the day… Calculus, English, and then to lunch. He guided her over to the table that he usually sat at. Olivia looked over the people sitting… there was a dark-skinned boy, a thin, pale one, and three girls. One was dark-skinned, just like the boy, one was blonde, and the other had light, orangish-colored hair.

"Hey, guys," Elliot greeted, sitting down, pulling her down with him, "This is Olivia. She's new. Olivia, this is Munch, Fin, Melinda, Alex and Casey."

They all gave her friendly greetings, and started eating.

"It's already February," Casey said, "How come you transferred so late?"

Olivia shrugged shyly, "Me and my mom moved from upstate. Couldn't really keep going to my old school."

Casey nodded her head, "That's cool. Glad to have you here."

"Thanks," she said, picking at the French fries on her plate.

"So you like it here so far?" she heard Elliot ask from beside her, and turned to him, smiling softly at him, "Yeah. I think I do."

There was something about this boy… something different. She felt drawn to him somehow. He smiled, "Good." And then he turned back to the sandwich on his plate.

They finished lunch, and then the rest of their classes. Elliot walked Olivia out of the building, "See you tomorrow?"

Olivia smiled at him, and nodded her head, "Yeah. See you in homeroom."

He returned the smile, and headed towards his truck. He couldn't wait to see her again.

* * *

A/N: Please review They make me keep writing :)


	8. Chapter 8

The next morning, when Elliot got out of his truck, Fin walked up to him almost immediately, "Hey, man."

Elliot turned towards him, "Hey. What's up?"

Fin shook his head, "Nothin'. Just surprised to see you alone. Couldn't get you away from that chick Olivia yesterday."

Elliot shrugged his shoulders, "I like her, man. She's… different."

Fin chuckled at his friend as they walked into the school, "Different, how?"

"I dunno," he said, shaking his head, "She just _is_."

"You got it bad, man," Fin said, "See you later."

He turned down the hall to go to his locker, and Elliot smiled as he continued walking. He knew that his friend was right.

Elliot went to his locker, put away his light jacket, and then walked into his homeroom. His smile grew a little wider when he saw Olivia, sitting in the same seat that she was the morning before. He dropped his books onto the desk next to hers, and sat, "Hey."

She turned towards him, and her lips curled upward in a smile, "Hi."

"Calculus first, right?" he said.

Olivia nodded her head, "Yeah. Can… can you walk me? I still don't know where anything is…"

That was the truth… she had no idea where she was going. But she just wanted to spend as much time with him as possible… she really liked him. She just hoped that he felt the same way…

Elliot nodded his head, "Of course."

He was happy that she had asked… so happy. He wanted to spend time with her just as much as she did. He wasn't sure why, but he really liked her. A lot.

The bell rang, and he turned, facing the front of the classroom. He doodled on the back of his notebook during the announcements, and when the bell rang again, he grabbed his stuff, following Olivia out.

And an hour later, his head was spinning. He was looking down at a mess of numbers and symbols in his book, and he had no idea what they meant or what he was supposed to do with them. He felt a hand on his shoulder, and turned his head to look at Olivia.

"You alright over there?" she asked, smiling softly at him.

He shook his head, dropping his pencil onto the desk, "I have no idea what I'm doing."

Olivia laughed softly at him, "It's okay. I could help you."

His mood brightened, and he smiled slightly, "Okay. After school?"

She nodded her head, "Sure."

The bell rang, and they got up, moving on to their next class. Elliot went to Spanish with Fin, and took a seat next to him.

"Hey, man," he greeted.

"Hey," Elliot answered, leaning back in the chair.

"You want to hang out after school?" Fin asked, "Come over my place or somethin'?"

"Nah, man," he answered, "I can't. Olivia and I are studying after school."

"Studying?" the other boy asked, a grin coming across his face.

"Yeah, man," Elliot stated, "She's helping me with my Calculus."

"What else?" Fin asked, knowing Elliot well enough to realize that there was more.

"I want to spend more time with her," he admitted.

"Then why not just ask her out like with all the other girls?"

"Cuz she's not like the other girls," Elliot responded, "I don't want to scare her off, man. I want to take it slow. You know?"

Fin shrugged his shoulders as the bell rang, signaling the beginning of class, "I guess so."

Senora Savoy, their teacher, shushed them as she walked to the front of the classroom, and she started talking about the homework that they were supposed to do the night before.

The rest of the school day went by in a haze for both Elliot and Olivia. They ate lunch together just like the day before, and sat next to each other in all the classes that they had together. When the final bell rang, Elliot immediately made his way to Olivia's locker from his physics class. When he reached it, she was throwing some books onto the shelf. He leaned against the locker next to her, "Hey."

She turned towards him, closing her locker, "Hi. So, to the library?"

Elliot smiled, "Actually, I was thinking of somewhere else we can go."

She raised her eyebrows, "Where?"

"Just follow me," he answered, and led her down the hallway. She followed, wondering where he could possibly be taking her, but happy to be with him anyway. They walked up the stairs, and he pushed open the door.

When they stepped through the threshold, they were on the roof. Olivia took a few steps, and looked around, "Wow. It's so…"

"Quiet?" Elliot finished, guiding her over to the ledge, sitting down and resting his back against the low wall.

Olivia dropped her bag, and sat next to him, "Yeah."

"I come up here when I want to just think," he told her.

She nodded her head, and pulled her Calculus book out of her bag, "Well, let's get to work, then."

He smiled slightly, "Okay."

A half an hour later, Olivia was leaning into his slightly, helping him finish their homework. Elliot wrote one last digit, and then closed the book, "Done."

She smiled softly at him, "See? Wasn't that hard."

He smiled back, "Only because you were here. Thanks."

"You're welcome," she answered as he stood, and held out a hand, helping her to her feet as well. "You have a ride? I can take you home if you want."

"Okay," she answered, "Sounds good."

"Great. Come on, let's go."

They walked down the stairs together, then out of the school. Elliot opened the door of his truck for her, and she thanked him as she got in.

Olivia gave him directions to her apartment, and when he pulled in front of it, he asked, "You want me to walk you up?"

"It's okay," she answered, unbuckling her seatbelt, opening the door, "I'll just see you tomorrow. Thanks for the ride."

He nodded his head, "Alright. See you."

Elliot waited until Olivia disappeared beyond the door to the building, and then pulled away, a smile on his face. Studying had never been so much fun.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading. Please review :)


	9. Chapter 9

Elliot drove home, listening to the radio, thinking about nothing but Olivia. He pulled into the driveway, grabbed his books from the passenger seat, and walked up to the front door, using his key to get in. He walked up the stairs, threw his books on the desk, and sat down, getting to his other homework.

He picked up his notebook, and was surprised when a small, folded piece of paper fluttered onto the wood. His eyebrows furrowed, and he picked it up, opening it.

There was a phone number, and then a note, _Call me __ Olivia. _His heart warmed, and he smiled, tucking the number into his wallet. He would definitely be using it sometime soon. He thought about her for another second, and then got to work on his history homework.

A few hours later, there was a knock on his door, and he turned, seeing Don leaning against the doorframe, "Hey. Whatcha doing in here?"

Elliot shook his head, "Just homework."

The older man nodded his head, "Alright. Well, I'm making dinner now, so…"

"Okay," he answered, "I just have to finish this, and I'll be down in a few minutes."

"Alright," Don answered, and walked back down the hall.

The next morning, Elliot sat in his usual spot next to Olivia during homeroom. She turned to him, and smiled, "Hey."

"Hi," he answered, smiling back, "Had fun yesterday. Even though we were just doing homework."

She laughed softly, nodding her head, "Me, too."

"Cool," Elliot said, "So, I was thinking that maybe we could do something a little more fun next time. Say, a movie? Friday night?"

"Are you asking me on a date, Mr. Stabler?" Olivia teased, but secretly, her heart was soaring. She would love to go out with him.

His smile grew a little wider, and he shrugged his shoulders, "I guess I am, Ms. Benson."

"I'd love to," she told him.

He felt like jumping up and down. She said yes. He was so happy that she had said yes. "Great."

She opened her mouth to say something else, but the bell rang, silencing any comment that she could have made. Elliot winked at her, and then turned to face the front of the classroom for the announcements.

When the bell rang again, they said their goodbyes, and headed off in different directions. Elliot met up with Fin for Physics, while she went to Spanish.

"Hey, man," Elliot greeted his friend.

"Hey," Fin answered, "How was studyin' yesterday?"

"Calculus had never been so much fun," Elliot stated seriously.

Fin chuckled, shaking his head, "Damn, man, just ask her out already."

Elliot grinned, "I did. Friday night."

Fin turned towards him, and nodded his head, "Alright, alright. What are you guys gonna do?"

"Movie," Elliot said as they walked into the classroom.

"Nice," the other boy said.

They took their normal seats next to each other, and talked while Senora Savoy handed back the tests that they had taken the Friday before.

"How'd you do?" Fin asked as she dropped Elliot's paper face down on his desk. He turned it over, and showed Fin the big red letter at the top, "A-. You?"

The other boy shook his head, showing Elliot his grade. It was a D, "You think your friend Olivia can help me with my Spanish, too?"

Elliot chuckled, shrugging his shoulders, "I dunno, man."

"I hate this class," Fin mumbled, sinking back in his seat as the teacher began her lecture. Elliot chuckled, and opened his notebook, starting to write the notes that she was writing on the board.

When the bell rang, signaling the end of the class, Elliot grabbed his things, and headed to his physics class.

"Hey, John. Hey Casey," Elliot said, sitting next to his two friends, "What's up?"

"Not much, man," John answered, and a grin spread across his face as his eyes went to the door, "Hey, Elliot. Look who just walked in."

Elliot turned, and sighed agitatedly when he saw who it was. She slid into the seat on the opposite side of him, and scooted the desk closer, "Hey, Elliot."

"Hi, Kathy," he greeted, subtly moving away from her. He heard John snickering next to him, and shot him a look that said "shut up". It just made his friend snicker louder.

Kathy had made it clear that she liked him. But he had absolutely no interest in her. She was the exact person that annoyed him… the preppy, cheerleader, airhead type.

"So, I was thinking you could take me out Friday night," she said, touching his arm.

"I'm busy Friday night," he answered quickly, scooting away from her again.

"Oh," she said, "How about Saturday then?"

The bell ran suddenly, and Mrs. Turano shushed the class as she walked to the front of the room to explain the activity that they would be doing. Kathy immediately claimed Elliot as her partner, and John and Casey turned their desks together.

Elliot did all the work, of course, while Kathy just sat there and watched him, talking about something that he really didn't care about. After a long class, the bell finally rang, and he, John and Casey walked out of the classroom.

John laughed, shaking his head, "Oh, my God. I feel so bad for you, man. I'm so sorry."

"She's so pathetic," Casey said, "Does she have any idea that you have no interest in her whatsoever? She just keeps throwing herself at you."

Elliot chuckled, shaking his head, "I don't know, Casey. She's been like this since freshman year. I've been refusing her since then; guess she just can't take a hint."

"No, she can't," John said, "What do you have next?"

Elliot's lips turned upward in a smile, "English with Olivia."

John nodded, "Now _Olivia_. She's pretty cool, man."

"She's your type, too," Casey added, "Do you like her?"

Elliot smiled, and nodded his head, "Yeah. I do like her. I… I like her a lot. We're going out on Friday night."

John pat him on the back, "Sweet, dude. 'S about time you actually find a girl and ask her out."

The other boy nodded his head again, "I know. See you later, guys."

Fin was walking down the same hallway when he saw Olivia walking in the opposite direction. He walked up to her, "Hi, Olivia."

She turned towards him, and gave a small smile, "Hey, Fin."

"Can I talk to you for a second?" he asked.

"Sure," Olivia answered, ""Quick, though. I have to get to class."

"I heard you and Elliot are going out on Friday night," he said, walking slowly along with her.

The thought made Olivia smile. She couldn't wait until Friday night… she couldn't believe that someone like him was interested in her. "Yeah. We are."

He nodded his head, and shoved the hand that wasn't holding his books into his pockets, "I got a question for ya."

"Okay," Olivia answered, stopping next to the door of her English class, "Ask away."

"He's my best friend. I'm just lookin' out for him," he said, "Do you like my boy?"

She sighed, and bit her lip, wondering if she could trust him or not. He was Elliot's best friend… so she guessed that he was okay. "Yeah. I like him a lot."

Fin nodded his head, "A'ight. Well… he likes you, too. And… he's been through a lot. I can't really tell you, he will if he wants you to know… Just don't hurt him, okay? There's only so much disappointment that he can take, you know?"

Olivia nodded her head, silently wondering what Fin was talking about when he said about Elliot having been through a lot. But she, herself had been through a lot as well… she was _still_ going through a lot. So she was sure that she could handle him… she wanted to. "Don't worry, Fin. I won't."


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Hey, guys. Sorry it took so long to update, but here it is. Elliot and Olivia's date is coming up… how will it work out?

* * *

Fin smiled slightly, and nodded his head, "A'ight. I trust you… just don' let me down."

"Okay," Olivia answered, returning the smile, "The bell's about to ring… I gotta go."

He said goodbye, and Olivia walked into the English room. She sat next to Elliot, and poked him in the shoulder playfully. He turned towards her, and smiled, poking her back, "Hey."

"Hi," she answered. Her mood brightened when she saw him… he looked so gorgeous. His deep, ocean blue eyes bored directly into her brown orbs, and she had the urge to run her hand through his dark hair. It wasn't too short, and it wasn't too long… it was perfect.

Suddenly, she realized that she was staring, and looked down at her books, blushing slightly. Elliot grinned, having noticed this. Looked like he wasn't the only one that found the person sitting next to them incredibly gorgeous.

"Did you finish the homework?" he asked, letting her know that it was all good. She looked up at him, and smiled, "Yeah."

And then the bell rang, ending what Olivia thought would be him asking her to help him finish his, because, usually, that's what it was. She wasn't sure how he had such good grades if he asked her to help him with everything. Not that she was complaining, of course. She would use any excuse to talk to him.

But when she glanced at his desk, she saw the packet that they were supposed to do, completely finished, she smiled slightly. Maybe she wasn't the only one that would use any excuse.

* * *

Elliot was standing in front of his closet, looking at all the clothes that were hanging there. It was six o'clock Friday night, he was supposed to pick Olivia up in an hour, and he was standing there, stressing about what he was going to wear. He shook his head. Wasn't this supposed to be a girl issue, worrying about their outfits?

He sighed nervously, and reached for a pair of black jeans, and a blue short sleeve button-up. He made sure he had his wallet, and threw on his jacket before leaving his room. Don was sitting at the kitchen table, reading the newspaper when he walked down the stairs.

The older man looked up, and smiled slightly when he saw Elliot, "Hey. You leaving?"

He nodded his head, "Yeah."

"Good luck," the detective stated jokingly. Elliot laughed nervously, "Thanks."

He walked out of the house, and got into his truck, heading to Olivia's apartment.

He pulled up in front of the building, and got out, heading in. He walked up to her front door, and took a deep breath, fixing his jacket. And then, he knocked on the door. It opened after only a second, and Olivia stepped out, "Hey."

"Hi," he answered, "Ready to go?"

She smiled softly, and nodded, "Yup."

"Cool," he said, and they started down the hall together. She couldn't help looking at him out of the corner of her eye… god, he was gorgeous. She couldn't help but think about what Fin had said to her, about him having been through a lot, it made sense to her. He seemed like a normal guy on the outside, she sensed something deeper, something darker in him.

He looked at her, and smiled softly, "Like what you see?" he asked in a playful voice.

"Depends. Do you?" she teased back.

They stepped onto the elevator, and he reached out to brush a strand of hair behind her ear, answering softly, "Definitely."

Her lips turned upward, "Me, too."

The elevator slid open, and they stepped out. Elliot led her to his truck, held the door open for her, and she smiled at his gentlemanliness as she got in. They didn't stop talking on the way to the theater… it was just easy for them.

He let her pick the movie, and she liked him a little bit more. She said the title, and his eyebrows shot up to his hairline. He'd been wanting to see that.

"What?" she asked nervously, "You don't want to…?"

"No, no," he answered, smiling, "I was actually hoping that you would say that. C'mon."

He bought the tickets, and then some popcorn and drinks before they walked into the theater.

"Where do you want to sit?" he asked softly, leaning close to her.

"Back," she told him, and he grinned, leading her into the second row from the back wall, "How's this?"

"Perfect," Olivia answered, settling in the seat next to him.

"Awesome," he said, leaning back.

Around a third through the movie, Elliot looked down, and saw her hand on the armrest. He bit his lip, wondering silently. Could he…?

His hand slid from in his lap, and over hers. He linked their fingers together, and she looked up at him. His heart skipped a beat, and he thought that she was going to pull away. But instead, she smiled, and squeezed his hand gently before turning back to the screen.

After a while, she shifted their hands, and started to stroke the back of his hand gently with her thumb. His heart warmed, and he looked at her again. There was a soft smile on her face. He leaned closer to her, and she did the same, resting her head against his shoulder.

The movie ended, but neither of them wanted to move. They were far too comfortable.

"We should go," he whispered, looking down at her. She nodded her head, "I know."

They sat there until the credits were over, and finally got up, heading out of the theater. They didn't let go of each other's hands.

Elliot drove her home, and walked her up to the apartment. She turned to him when they reached the door, and smiled, "I had fun."

"Me too," he answered, smiling back. She stepped closer to him, and pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek, "Call me?"

A blush crept across his cheeks, and he nodded his head, his smile widening, "Y-yeah. I will."

"Okay," she answered, "Good night, Elliot."

"Night, Elliot said, and watched as she stepped inside, closing the door softly behind her.

He sighed happily, started walking. His fingers went to the spot where her lips had touched, and he was so happy.

* * *

The shrill ring of the phone pulled Elliot away from the magazine he was reading. It was the next day, Don had been called in, so he was home alone. He rolled on his stomach, and grabbed the receiver, "Hello?"

"Hey, man," Fin greeted from the other end.

"Hey, Fin. What's up?"

"Nothin' much. Just wanted to know if you wanna come over and hang out, shoot hoops or somethin'. John's here, too."

"Sure," Elliot answered, "I'll be there in a little while."

"A'ight. See you in a few."

Elliot hung up, and ran his hand through his hair as he stood.

"So, how was last night?" John asked, passing the basketball to Elliot.

"Great," Elliot answered, shooting, and swishing, "She's awesome."

"She is pretty cool, man," Fin said, grabbing the rebound.

Elliot smiled, "Man, she's beautiful. And she's not one of those airheads, either. I can talk to her. She's smart, funny…"

"Damn, Fin. What does that sound like to you?" John asked, interrupting him.

"Sounds like Elliot is whipped," Fin teased, tossing him the ball.

Elliot shook his head, dribbling, "Say what you want, man. If you spent time with her like I have, you'd be the sayin' the same thing."

Both John and Fin laughed at their friend, and they continued playing.


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Hey, guys. Sorry for the long wait for this chapter. Here's chapter 11.

* * *

Elliot threw his backpack over his shoulder as he got out of his truck, and closed the door. He yawned… god, he hated Mondays. He was walking down the hall when he saw Olivia ahead of him. He jogged up to her, "Hey, Olivia."

She looked up at him, and smiled, "Hi, Elliot."

"How was your weekend?" he asked as they walked into their homeroom, taking their usual seats.

She smiled softy, "Good. How was yours?"

He shrugged his shoulders, returning her smile, "It was alright."

She reached over to pat his hand, and his smile widened at her touch, "I had a lot of fun with you the other night."

Olivia nodded her head in agreement, "I did, too."

"We should do it again some time," he said, giving her his signature Stabler smirk. She just couldn't say no to that face.

"Yeah. We should," she agreed.

"Cool," he said, but before he could speak more, the bell rang, silencing them. Elliot turned to the front of the classroom, listening as their homeroom teacher spoke.

The school day dragged on, just like it did everyday. Soon, Elliot was leaning against a row of lockers, just waiting. Olivia walked up, and smiled at him, "Hey."

"Hi," he said, standing up straight, taking her books from her so she could open her locker. She thanked him softly, and grabbed her jacket. "So," he began, "I was thinking… can I take you to dinner tomorrow night?"

She nodded her head, "I'd like that."

"Cool," he said, and leaned in to press a gentle kiss to her cheek, just like she had done with him a few days before. He smiled at her, his eyes frozen on hers for a moment before he pulled back all the way, "See you."

She watched as he walked down the hall, and collapsed against the lockers, her fingers touching the place where his lips had met her skin.

"You really like him, don't you?" she heard from behind her. She turned around, and saw Casey leaning against the lockers behind her. She smiled slightly, nodding her head, "Yeah. I like him a lot."

Casey nodded her head, "That's cool. He's a good guy. And he likes you a lot, too."

Her heart fluttered in her chest. She knew that Elliot liked her, or he wouldn't have kissed her, but hearing someone else say it… it made her knees weak. Fin's words rung through her ears… _"He's been through a lot… there's only so much disappointment he can take…" _She wondered silently what Fin had been talking about.

"Casey… do you know what happened to him?" she asked softly.

Casey's gaze softened, and she shook her head, "No. Only Fin knows, and his lips are sealed. He promised Elliot that he wouldn't say anything. He was a real mess a while back, though. He missed a lot of school."

Olivia's mind whirred. What could have happened to him? Her thoughts went to her mother, and what she had done to her. She shook those thoughts out of her head. "Poor guy."

Casey shrugged her shoulders, "Like I said, he's a good guy, but he's very… shut off. He never really talks about his family or anything."

Olivia sighed, nodding her head, "I should go. But thanks a lot, Casey."

Casey nodded her head, and she left the school.

* * *

The next night, Elliot dressed in a simple pair of jeans and a black dress shirt in preparation for his date with Olivia. He took a deep breath, and examined himself in the mirror. Hmm. Not too bad.

He grabbed his jacket from the back of his desk chair, and headed out to pick up Olivia. He walked up to her apartment, and rang the doorbell, clearing his throat.

The door opened, and he smiled widely at what he saw. She was wearing a simple pair of jeans and a v-neck shirt. "Hey, Olivia."

"Hi, Elliot," she answered, smiling at him as she stepped into the hallway and closing the door behind her. He offered his hand for her to take, and she did as they walked down the hallway. When they reached his truck, he opened the door for her just as he always did, and she thanked him before getting in.

He drove them to the Italian restaurant that Don had suggested earlier that evening, and they walked in together. Elliot pulled out Olivia's chair for her, and she sat down. They ordered drinks, and talked until their meals came. He had gotten chicken alfredo, she stuck with simple spaghetti and meatballs.

They ate slowly, and continued their conversation long after the bill came. Elliot paid, and they walked out to the car together, hand in hand. Elliot pulled out of the parking lot, and Olivia's hand slid over Elliot's.

He turned to her, and smiled widely, loving the feeling of her hand on his.

He pulled in front of her building, and turned the truck off, "I'll walk you up."

Olivia nodded her head, "Okay." She opened the door, and they walked into the building. It was a silent walk, right up until they reached her door. They turned to look at each other, and she smiled softly, "Thanks for tonight, El. I had a great time."

His eyebrows furrowed as his lips turned upward, "What'd you call me?"

"Oh," she said softly, looking down, "I-I'm sorry."

He shook his head, taking one of her hands in his, "Don't be. I-I like it."

She smiled, touching his cheek gently, "Good."

He just looked at her, thinking about how beautiful she was, and how much he wanted to kiss her. Not like the tiny pecks that they had been sharing. He wanted to kiss her for real. He swallowed, and leaned down, unable to pull away. Her arm slid around his neck, and their lips met for the first time.

He wrapped his arms around her waist, and he gently pulled her closer. Her arm ran down his back, sending shivers up his spine. Finally, the lack of air forced them apart, but their arms stayed wrapped around each other and their foreheads pressed together.

"I should go inside," she said several minutes later, looking into his gorgeous blue eyes.

Elliot nodded his head, "Probably."

Her hand ran through his hair, and she smiled softly. He didn't want to let her go… he wanted to stand their forever. But he knew that he couldn't. Olivia had to get inside, and he had to go home before Don started to worry about him.

He let her go ever so slowly, and pressed a single peck to her lips, "Good night, Liv," he whispered, and looked at her for another moment. She grinned at the nickname, "Night El."

She walked inside, and he collapsed against the wall, grinning as his fingers touched his lips. Munch and Fin were right. He was totally whipped. And he liked it.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading. I'm not sure if you guys want me to continue with this, so please review and let me know. I don't want to keep updating a story if no one is reading it. So drop a review and let me know.


	12. Chapter 12

Elliot pulled into the driveway, and turned off the ignition, heading inside. The smile on his face had been there since he left Olivia's apartment building. When he entered the kitchen, Don was sitting at the kitchen table, reading the newspaper like usual.

The detective looked up, and set the paper on the table, "How'd it go?"

Elliot grinned, collapsing onto one of the seats, "Amazing."

Don chuckled at the love-struck teen. He could tell that Elliot was happy. He was so happy to be able to just be a teenager, without the worries of tiptoeing around his father to avoid getting beaten.

"Well, I'm glad you're happy," he said.

Elliot's eyes shot up to Don's, and his eyebrows furrowed at the comment. He wasn't sure why, but it surprised him.

"You alright?" Don asked, noticing his expression.

Elliot smiled, and nodded his head as he stood, "Yeah. Thanks, Dad."

He didn't realize it until he was halfway up the stairs. He had called Don _Dad_. And he had meant it. Don, however, noticed it immediately. Elliot had called him _Dad_. He thought of him as a father. It was the most amazing feeling in the world.

Breakfast the next morning was normal. But as Elliot was about to get up, Cragen stopped him.

"What's up?" Elliot asked.

"Last night… you called me…"

Elliot nodded, "I know."

The unanswered question hung in the air. Elliot knew what Don wanted to know. He took a deep breath, "Of course I meant it. You've been more of a father to me than Joe Stabler has ever been."

"Elliot… you don't know how much that means to me. Thank you."

He shrugged, "That's how I feel. Don't thank me. I should be the one thanking you… for putting up with me for this long."

"I told you, I'm glad to have to here. I love you like a son."

Elliot's heart warmed at the statement, and he smiled, "Well, you know I love you like a dad. I gotta go or I'm gonna be late."

"Alright. See you tonight," Don said, and watched as Elliot walked out of the house.

When Elliot got to school, he went to his locker, where Olivia was already waiting for him. He smiled at her, "Hey."

"Hi," she answered, moving so he could open his locker. He got everything he needed, and they walked down the hall together.

"We only have a few weeks of school left," Elliot stated as they walked into their homeroom, taking their seats.

She smiled, nodding, "I know. I can't wait to get out of here for summer break."

"Me neither," he answered, "The only thing I'll miss is seeing you every day."

She reached over to link their fingers together, "Who says you won't be able to see me everyday?"

His grin grew a little wider, and he squeezed her hand, "I was hoping you would say that."

Olivia shrugged, "I like hanging out with you."

Elliot scooted his desk closer to hers, "That's good. I like hanging out with you, too."

They talked until the bell rang, and the few classes that Elliot had before lunch without Olivia went by agonizingly slow. When he finally walked into the cafeteria for lunch, she was already sitting at their usual table. He sat next to her, and his fingers entwined with hers under the table, "Hey."

"Hi," she answered. John looked up from his food, and smirked, "Hey, Elliot, ready to deal with Kathy next period?"

"Oh, god," Elliot said, rolling his eyes.

"Who's Kathy?" Olivia asked, looking at Elliot curiously.

He smirked slightly at her, "Your competition."

She returned the look, and her hand went to play with the fine hairs on the back of his neck, making him shiver, "Well, by the sounds of it, she's not much competition."

He was reduced to mush just by her closeness, her touch, "I… uhh… n-no."

Everyone else at the table laughed, never having seen their friend like the way he was at that moment.

When the bell rang, Elliot bad farewell to Olivia, and headed off to Physics with John and Casey.

They took their seats, and Elliot waited agonizingly for Kathy to walk in and start hanging all over him. He didn't have to wait long. Soon she was there, inches from him, flirting with him shamelessly. This time, though, he didn't even acknowledge her. He was too busy thinking about Olivia. The one that he really cared about.

"Elliot? Are you even listening to me?" Kathy asked, poking him in the shoulder.

"What? Oh. No, not really," he answered, hoping that she would take a hint. He heard John snickering loudly from the seat next to him, and slyly gave him the finger to try and get him to shut up. It only made him laugh louder.

"Why not? You're supposed to listen," she said prissily.

Elliot rolled his eyes, "Whatever."

The bell rang, and he thanked god. He wasn't sure how much more of Kathy he could take.

This time, they were instructed to split up into groups of three, and Elliot immediately turned to John and Casey without giving the dumb blonde a glance.

He stayed as far away from her for the rest of the class, and was relieved when the bell rang. He didn't really get to talk to Olivia during their classes together, but he took the chance as soon as the final bell rang.

"So, how was my competition?" Olivia asked teasingly, smiling at him as they walked down the hall together, heading towards the exit.

He shook his head as they walked out into the fresh, warm air, "I don't want Kathy," he said, stopping and turning her towards him, "I only want you."

Her lips turned upward, "You mean that?"

He nodded his head, "Yeah. I was thinking… we should make it official."

Olivia stepped closer to him, and took his hand, "Really?"

"Really," Elliot answered, "At the risk of sounding like a total nerd… will you be my girlfriend?"

She gave him a look, and took his chin between two of her fingers, bringing him closer so she could kiss him. Her arm wrapped around his neck as they broke apart, and she smiled, "You're adorable."

"Is that a yes?" he asked, placing his hands on her waist tentatively.

Olivia nodded her head, "Yeah. That's a yes."

Elliot grinned, wrapping his arm around her shoulders as they walked, "Let me take my girl home."

She chuckled lightly, sliding her arm around his middle, "Okay."

He opened the door of his truck for her, and she smiled, getting in. Elliot turned on the radio, and Olivia took his hand resting on the gearshift.

"I'll walk you up," he said when he pulled in front of her building.

They got out, and she slid her hand into his as they walked inside. "See you tomorrow, Liv," he said, leaning forward to kiss her.

"Bye, El," she answered, giving his hand one final squeeze before she walked inside.

Elliot smiled, and headed back down to his truck.

* * *

A/N: Elliot and Olivia are getting closer :) Please review.


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Here's Chapter 13. The last day of school, and a visit with Don.

* * *

Elliot walked into the cafeteria, and took his usual seat next to Olivia. She turned to him, and smiled, "Hey."

He smiled back at her, leaning in to give her a quick kiss, "Hi."

"Hey," John bellowed from his spot across the table, "No PDA!"

That made the couple laugh. Elliot's arm slid around Olivia's waist as he spoke, "Hey. She's my girlfriend; I'll PDA her all I want. Besides, it's not like anyone's going to bust us. Today's the last day!"

John grinned, "Who says I was saying that for the teachers?"

"Shut up, John," Olivia said jokingly, a smile on her face as she leaned slightly into Elliot. In the weeks that had passed, they had only gotten closer. Elliot thought that he was probably closer to her now than he was with Fin.

Fin chuckled lightly, "Damn. You should have brought this girl here earlier, Elliot. I like her."

Elliot laughed as well, squeezing Olivia's waist gently, "Trust me, I know."

They all ate, Elliot and Olivia picked at each other's plates. When the bell rang, Elliot threw their trash away and their hands linked together as they walked out of the cafeteria. He walked her to her next class, and lifted her hand to lightly kiss her knuckles.

"I'll see you this afternoon?" he asked softly, smiling softly at her.

She smiled back, and nodded her head, "Yeah."

"Good," he answered, releasing her hand, but not taking his eyes off of her as he walked away. She leaned against the wall for a second, watching him before she stepped into the classroom.

When Elliot walked into Physics, John and Casey were already in their seats. He dropped into the seat next to John, "Hey, guys."

"Hey, man," John answered, "Guess who I saw earlier today?"

"Oh, god," Elliot groaned, knowing exactly what John was talking about, "Kathy?"

John laughed, nodding his head, "Yep."

Casey rolled her eyes, "Where was she, anyway?"

Elliot shrugged his shoulders, "I dunno. Some cruise or something."

"Why would they go on a cruise and come back to school on the last day?" John asked.

Elliot shook his head, "I have no idea."

He looked up at the door, and sighed loudly when he saw her walking in. As usual, she took the seat next to him, and scooted close, "Hey, Elliot."

"Hi, Kathy," he answered, subtly scooting away. His frustration grew when she just moved closer to him, and ran her hand over his arm.

He pulled away, and Kathy's eyebrows shot up, "Elliot… what's wrong?"

"Kathy…" he began, "I have a girlfriend."

Kathy was taken aback, "Girlfriend? But I thought we were…"

Elliot shook his head, "No, Kathy. There's nothing between us. There never really was. I just… didn't want to hurt your feelings. I thought that if I didn't seem interested, then…"

"I would give up," Kathy finished for him.

"I'm sorry," he said. He didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings, even Kathy's.

The bell rang before she could say anything to him. He turned to the front of the front of the classroom, and felt her stare at him for another moment before she turned to the front as well.

That afternoon after the final bell rang, Elliot and Olivia met at her locker. Their hands linked together as they walked down the hall.

"So can you come over today?" Elliot asked.

She smiled at him, "Yeah."

"Great," he said, smiling back, "Today's Don's early day. You can meet him."

"Okay," Olivia answered, swinging their hands back and forth lightly as they walked through the parking lot.

"How was Kathy in Physics?" she asked casually.

He chuckled, opening the passenger side door for her, "You have nothing to worry about. I don't think she's going to be inviting me to come with her to the beach this summer."

She got in, and he closed the door behind her, making his way to the driver's side.

"What did you do?" she wondered, watching him as he started the car. There was a grin on her face.

He shrugged lightly, "Told her that I'm taken, of course. And maybe that she had no chance with me."

Her fingers linked with his as he pulled into the street, "And why is that?"

He smiled at her, and squeezed her hand, "Because I'm yours."

She laughed softly, running her hand up his arm, "Suck up."

He pulled into the driveway, and leaned over to kiss her lips lightly, "Never."

They walked inside the house together, up to his room. He collapsed onto the bed with an exaggerated groan, and she laughed, "You're so overdramatic."

Elliot rolled onto his back, and grinned, holding out his arms, "Stop talking and come here."

She obliged him quickly, dropping onto the mattress and curling into him. His arms wrapped around her, and they were silent for a few minutes.

"School's out," he said softly, nuzzling her nose.

She nodded her head, "I know."

He stood suddenly, and pulled lightly on her hand, "C'mon."

She got up as well, laughing, "God, do you have ADD or something?"

He laughed along with her as they walked down the stairs and outside. "My God," she said, "This is, like, the greenest lawn that I've ever seen."

"Yeah?" he asked, grinning at her, "It's soft, too. Watch."

He wrapped his arm around her waist, and pulled her down onto the ground. She squealed in surprise as she landed on her back, with him directly over her, laughing.

"Jerk," she said playfully, pushing on his shoulder. He rolled onto his side next to her, "I'm sorry. Forgive me?"

"Hmm…" she said, pretending to ponder it for a second, "Okay. But only 'cause you're cute."

He chuckled lightly, pressing a gentle peck to her lips, "I knew that would come in handy."

"You were right," she said, smiling as she watched him rolled onto his back. They both laid there on the grass, looking up at the clouds for several minutes.

"Look at that one," she said softly, breaking the comfortable silence, pointing up at one of the fluffy, white clouds in the sky, "It looks like a sailboat."

Elliot nodded his head as his hand slid down to grasp hers gently, "Yeah, it does, a little bit. Look at that one, it's like a bell."

"Yeah," Olivia answered, squeezing his hand.

Then they were silent again, until they heard the back door open, and Cragen's voice, "Hey, you two."

Elliot got up, and helped Olivia off of the grass, "Hey, Don. This is Olivia. Liv, this is Don."

"Nice to meet you, Olivia," Don said, holding out a hand for him to shake, "I've heard a lot about you."

"Nice to meet you, too, Mr. Cragen," Olivia answered, "I've heard about you, too."

The detective smiled, glancing at Elliot before he spoke again, "I'm making some dinner. Will you stay?"

Olivia nodded, "Sure. Sounds great."

"Good," he stated, "C'mon inside."

They walked back into the house, and Elliot and Olivia sat down at the kitchen table, "So, Olivia, I heard you're good in school," Don said, making conversation, "Saved Elliot in Calculus."

Olivia laughed, "That's right."

"Hey, I ended up with an A in that class, didn't I?" Elliot stated, chuckling lightly along with her.

Don smirked, "A-, actually."

"Hey, an A's an A," the teen answered, leaning back in his seat.

Olivia smiled, squeezing his hand gently, "I have to use the restroom. I'll be right back."

Elliot nodded, giving her a smile, "Okay."

"She's a nice girl," Don said once Olivia had left the room.

Elliot nodded her head, "I know."

Cragen nodded her head, and hesitated before speaking again, "Well… did you tell her?"

Elliot swallowed as he looked down at the wood of the table. He knew exactly what Don was talking about… he just didn't want to. He swallowed, "Tell her what?"

Don took a deep breath, wondering why he was doing this. "Tell her… why you're living here with me."

Elliot bit his lip, and shook his head, "No… not yet."

The detective nodded, waiting a second before speaking again, "Are you going to?"

He shrugged, "I… I don't know. I don't want…"

"You don't want her to think any different of you," Don finished, "I know. But if she really cares about you, like you care about her, then it won't matter. You have nothing to be ashamed of, Elliot. You're strong."

Elliot bit his lip, and shook his head, "I…I don't know."

They heard footsteps, and then Olivia was sitting down next to him again. Elliot looked from Don, to Olivia, and sighed. Along with Fin, the people in that room were the two that he cared about more than anyone in the world.

Looking at Olivia, he realized that Don was right. Olivia was amazing, she would understand. That was it. He was going to tell her. It would be hard, but he was going to. And hopefully, it wouldn't backfire.

* * *

A/N: Next chapter, Elliot reveals his secret, but not how he expected to.


	14. Chapter 14

A/N: Hey, guys. Here's chapter fourteen. Only got one review last time, just wondering if you guys are still reading. Drop a review if you want me to continue.

* * *

They ate dinner, and the Elliot and Olivia took a walk around the neighborhood. It was quieter than Olivia's, of course, since Don and Elliot lived in the suburbs on the city. They walked, and talked about nothing and everything. Elliot didn't tell Olivia anything about his father or his past that night, though. He wasn't ready for that quite yet.

"I should get back home," Olivia stated when they got back to the house. Elliot nodded his head, "Okay. I'll give you a ride, let me just tell Don where we're going."

A few minutes later, Elliot and Olivia were on their way to her apartment. Olivia turned the radio on, and soft music played through the truck. They talked mostly about their plans for the summer… the beach, camping upstate, anything that didn't involve school.

When they reached the building, he walked her up, and stopped her in front of her door. "Goodnight," he said softly, leaning down to kiss her. Her hand winded around his neck, and gently played with his hair as they kissed. They broke apart, and both of them were smiling.

"Call me," she whispered.

"I will," he answered, and watched as she walked inside, closing the door softly behind her.

* * *

Elliot walked into the house, and saw Don sitting at the kitchen table, looking at the newspaper like usual. He looked up, and gestured to the chair across from him, "Sit down, I'd like to talk to you."

The teen took a seat, only slightly curious about what Don was going to say to him. He took a deep breath, "What's up?"

The detective shrugged, "What are you thinking?"

"I dunno," Elliot answered, "I just… I dunno."

Don nodded his head, "She's a nice girl, Elliot."

"I know," he stated.

"She'll understand," the captain whispered, "You should never be ashamed about your past. It's only made you stronger in the end. Hasn't it?"

He was silent and still for several minutes, deep in thought. "Yeah. I guess so," he answered softly.

"You've told me, you've told the prosecutor, two juries and a room full of people, most of them you didn't even know. You can tell Olivia, too."

When Elliot still did not speak, the detective spoke again, "It's your decision. You can do what you think is right, no one can tell you what to do. If I made you think that I was forcing you too, then I'm sorry. I'm just trying to help you."

"I know that," he said, looking up from the table, "I do. I want to tell her. I want her to know the truth about me, about my past… but…

"But what?" Don prodded gently, "You can tell me."

"I don't know how," Elliot answered softly.

The older man nodded his head, "I know it's hard. I wish that I could tell you what to say, but I can't. Only you can figured that out. Take your time, think about it. There's no deadline for telling her the truth."

Elliot nodded his head, sighing shakily. When he spoke again, it was so soft that Cragen had to lean in to hear it, "I… I keep thinking that it'll go away. That I'll wake up one morning and the past ten years never happened the way that they did. That I was never…beaten. That my real father didn't hate me. But it'll never go away, will it?"

Don shook his head, "No. It'll never go away. I wish that it would. I wish that I would because no one deserves to live through that pain. Your father doesn't hate you, Elliot. He has a problem. That's not your fault. Nothing that happened to you was because you did something wrong. I hope you know that."

He shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know… sometimes it seems like it…"

Don shook his head, "Don't believe that. Never believe that. You could never do anything that deserves getting beaten. You're a good kid, Elliot. The only one who doesn't see it is Joe."

Elliot's frown turned upward slightly, "You think that?"

Don shrugged, "I've never lied to you before, have I?"

"I guess not," he said softly, looking down at his hands, which were resting on the table.

The detective nodded his head, "Just think about it, alright? Take your time."

"Okay. I will," the teen answered, "But for now… I think I'm going to go upstairs. Night."

"Good night," Don said.

He got up from the table, and walked up the stairs, heading into his room to get some sleep. It had been a long day, and there was a lot on his mind.

Gaining the courage to tell her was even harder than he expected. They spent most of the next few weeks together, hanging out, going to the mall, and to the beach. They spent plenty of time alone, but he just couldn't do it. He didn't even know where to begin.

* * *

Elliot was laying on his bed, thinking about it one morning when the phone rang. He reached over, and picked it up, "Hello?"

"Hey, man," he heard Fin's voice over the line, "What's up?"

"Nothin'," Elliot answered, sitting up, "What's going on?"

"Not much," Fin said, "Just wonderin' if you want to chill today."

"Sure, sounds good. See you in a little while."

"Alright," he said, and Elliot hung up.

* * *

Elliot caught the football that Fin threw to him, and tossed it back easily.

"So," Fin started, "How're you and Olivia?"

"Good," Elliot answered, nodding his head, "I'm planning on telling her about… you know."

Fin looked at him with a surprised look on his face, "Really? You're gonna?"

Elliot took a deep breath, and nodded his head, "Yeah. I plan on keeping her around for a while… she should know about my past."

The other boy nodded, "That's cool, man."

"Yeah, I know," he answered, "The only problem is… I don't know how to tell her."

"Yeah, that's a problem," Fin said, "Remember how you told me? Just… tell her like that, I guess."

Elliot shook his head, and looked down at the ball in his hands, "That was different. You… you saw him hit me. It was easier. She… she doesn't have a clue."

"You'll figure it out, man," he said, "You're worried about what she'll think. Don't be. She's cool, nothing will change between the two of you."

Elliot threw the ball, "You don't know that, man."

Fin shrugged, "Nothing changed with us, did it?"

His eyebrows furrowed, and he spoke again, "No. Nothing did. I guess… I guess you're right."

"Yeah, I am. So don't worry about it. Just talk to her. It'll be cool."

Elliot nodded his head, smiling slightly. He could do this. He could tell her. It still wouldn't be easy, but he was happy to know that there was a good chance she wouldn't think any different of him. That had been his biggest fear… her thinking he was weak, or her not wanting to see him anymore. It was kind of silly to think that, she cared about him, but he had truly been worried about it. Now, thankfully, he didn't have to be.

Elliot and Fin spent the day together, hanging out, doing whatever. He left later that night, and when he got home, Don was already there. He was sitting on the couch, watching the news on the TV.

"Have fun at Fin's?" he asked when Elliot walked into the living room.

"Yeah," Elliot answered, "I'm going to go over Olivia's tomorrow. I'll tell her everything."

The

Elliot shrugged his shoulders, "I was talking to Fin. He sort of set me straight about the whole thing. I'm not so nervous about it anymore."

Don smiled, "I'm glad to hear it."

"Yeah. I'm glad, too," he answered, "I'm going to go upstairs. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Elliot."

He walked up the stairs, changed, and laid down for a while before falling asleep.

Eleven o'clock the next morning, Elliot was getting into his truck, and starting it up. He rolled down the windows immediately, and pulled out of the driveway.

The ride was short and long at the same time. The walk up to Olivia's apartment was silent except for the patter of his shoes on the floor.

He took a deep breath when he reached her door, and knocked once. His eyes widened in surprise when it fell open with a squeak. What…?

Elliot hesitated, but pushed the door open further and walked inside. The sight before him made his heart drop into the pit of his stomach. Mother and daughter were standing in the middle of the living room, and it looked like they were arguing about something. Before he knew it, Serena slapped Olivia hard across the face.


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: Hey, guys. Here's the next chapter, guys. Enjoy.

* * *

Before Elliot knew it, Serena slapped Olivia hard across the face. From then on, he couldn't be responsible for his actions. He picked Serena up, who had been hitting her daughter continuously, and yanked her back. She flailed her arms wildly, managing to land a punch to his cheek. He dropped her, and in his anger, punched her hard. She fell to the ground.

"Let's go," he said, trying not to let his anger and confusion seep into his tone. It failed, though. He grabbed her hand, and pulled her out of the apartment. He had to get her away from that woman.

Elliot helped Olivia into the truck, and pulled away from the curb. She sat silently, looking down into her lap, trying not to let the tears that were in his eyes flow.

He was seething quietly. He was gripping the steering wheel so tight that his knuckles were turning white. He was trying to control his ragged breathing. All's he could think about was his… his _father_. His heart was aching, his old wounds were reopening. All because of what he had seen in that apartment.

Suddenly, he remembered that she needed comfort. Just like he had. He pulled into the first parking lot that he saw, and turned towards her.

"Liv?" he asked gently.

"El," she whispered, looking at him with glistening eyes.

He lifted the console, not caring about the stuff that went flying into the backseat, "C'mere."

She scooted closer to him, and he wrapped his arms around her tightly. When he felt his shoulder dampen with her tears, he let go, too. Tears overflowed his eyes and he cried along with her. He couldn't believe it. She was so amazing… how could anyone hurt someone as beautiful and perfect as her?

Olivia pulled her away, wiping her eyes and sniffling.

"It's okay to cry, Liv," he whispered, "I know it hurts."

She shook her head, "You don't understand. You _can't_ understand. You have Don, he's so good to you."

This was the time. He knew that this was the time. But he wished more than anything that the circumstances could be different. He wished that it could be like he thought it would.

"Liv, how do you think I met him? He's a cop."

"Elliot, what are you saying?" Olivia asked, and he could hear the nerves in her voice.

He sighed, taking one of her hands in his and looking down at it in his lap, "I…I haven't been completely honest with you. I told you that… that Don adopted me… but I never told you the real reason why," he took a deep shaky breath, "My father… my _real_ father… his name is Joseph Stabler. He's in prison right now for child abuse, endangering the welfare of a child… and a bunch of other little charges that I can't remember."

"Oh, God, El…"

"It was me," he continued, squeezing her hand, "He started beating me when I was eight. He stopped when I was sixteen. The last time he hit me, he almost killed me. I know exactly how you feel. It's gonna be okay."

Tears streamed down her cheeks, and he scooted closer to him, letting him envelope her in a comforting embrace. "I-I'm sorry, El…"

"It's okay, Liv," he answered in a whisper, holding her tighter.

He held her as she cried, and didn't let go of her even when she stopped.

"You okay?" he asked gently, lifting her chin so that she would look at him. She took a shaky breath, and nodded slowly, "I-I guess so…"

He nodded, "That's good. I'm taking you to the station and you can talk to Don."

"What? No, El, I can't…"

"Why not?" he asked, "You can't go back to that, Liv. I won't let you."

She reminded him so much of himself. It was crazy. He remembered feeling exactly as she did now. Scared, confused, conflicted, and overwhelmed.

"El… I just can't."

"I know exactly how you feel, Liv. I know that it's scary and you don't know what's going to happen to you. But look at me. Don't you see how happy I am without Joe? It could be you, too," he brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, and what he said next was just a whisper, "You could finally be free of her."

"You were lucky," she whispered, "What if that doesn't happen to me? What if I get sent away? I don't want to leave my home… I don't want to leave you."

"I know, Liv. But you're not safe in that house. She could kill you, just like my father almost did to me. Please just listen to me."

She swallowed, sinking further into his arms, "Okay. I trust you, El."

He squeezed her tightly, and pressed a kiss to her forehead, "Good."

"I don't want to lose you," she murmured, cuddling closer to him, looking up at him, "Just don't let me lose you."

"I won't, Liv," he answered, kissing her lips gently, "I care about you too much to let you go."

She smiled slightly, "I care about you, too."

He pulled her in for one more sweet kiss, and re-clasped his seatbelt, pulling out of the parking space. He kept her hand wrapped in his all the way to the station house,

"Elliot, Olivia? What are you two doing here?" Don asked as he saw them walking towards his desk, hands together. Elliot squeezed her hand gently, "Liv has something that she wants to talk to you about."

Cragen's expression grew serious, "Alright, sweetie. Why don't you come with me, and we can talk in private."

Olivia's grip on Elliot's hand tightened, and Don's eyebrows furrowed. If he didn't know better… he shook his head mentally. No, it couldn't be. He just felt like this because of the boy standing next to her. "Can Elliot come, too?"

Don gave her a warm smile, "Of course he can."

Elliot followed the two of them into one of the interview room, and a chill ran down his spine when he thought about the last time he was in one of these rooms. His thoughts were on Joe… he couldn't get his father out of his head.

He had to do it, though. He had to do it for Olivia. So he sat next to Olivia, and held her hand as he listened to her story. He listened about how her mother had been raped, and how she had been the result. His heart ached when she told Don about the years of physical and mental abuse that she had endured.

They were more alike then he had ever imagined.

A half an hour later, Olivia was on the verge of tears, Cragen was looking both horrified and sympathetic, and Elliot was holding Olivia, knowing exactly how she felt. His own eyes were turning glossy.

"It's okay," he murmured, "It's all over now. She's never gonna hurt you again. I won't let her."

"Elliot," the detective said softly, "Take her home, let her get some rest. We've done all we can tonight, I'll pick her mother up tomorrow. I'll meet you back there in an hour, okay?"

Elliot nodded, and looked down at Olivia.

"Liv," he said gently, rubbing her back. When she looked up at him, he continued, "You're gonna come to my house with me, okay?"

She nodded, and clasped his hand tightly as they stood.

"See you later," he told Don, who nodded as they walked out.

Elliot's mind was whirring as he walked Olivia down the stairs to his truck. He couldn't believe what had happened to her. The pain that he had felt because of his father was returning to him, and he desperately wanted it to go away.

But he knew that Olivia was in more pain that he was right now. She needed him, and he was going to be there for her.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading. Please review. I promise it'll make me update faster.


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: Hey, guys. Here's the next chapter. I love all the awesome feedback that I have been getting, and I hope you guys keep it up.

* * *

Elliot held Olivia's hand as they walked into the house, and up the stairs. He opened the door to the guest bedroom, turning towards her, "You can stay in here, okay?"

She nodded, and stepped into his warm embrace. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, enjoying her warmth just as much as she enjoyed his.

"Everything's gonna be okay, Liv. I promise," he whispered rocking her back and forth. They just stood like that for a few minutes, and then pulled back slowly, "Try and sleep, okay? It's been a long day."

She nodded her head, "I-I love you, El."

He froze for a minute, surprised. What…? He knew that she was going through a lot; did she really mean what she just said? Did she really love him? He brushed a strand of hair behind her ear, and nodded his head.

"I love you, too, Liv," he answered, pressing a sweet kiss to her lips, "Good night."

"Night," she answered, and closed the door behind her.

Elliot sighed, and started back down the stairs. It was ten-thirty, he was tired, but he knew that he wouldn't be able to sleep. He was conflicted. His heart felt heavy in his chest, but it was fluttering at the same time. She had just told him that she loved him… after hearing the stories about how her mother did things much like the things that his father did to him. He couldn't believe that this had happened to her. Sweet, caring Olivia…

_You were no different_; he heard a voice say from the back of his mind.

He dropped into one of the kitchen chairs, and scrubbed his face with his hands. His eyes were turning watery. He sniffled, and tightened his fists around his hair. Why did he feel like this? It was exactly how he felt when… he shook his head, trying to keep those thoughts from his mind.

"Elliot?" he heard Don ask softly, "Are you okay?"

He shook his head, moving his hands from his face. Glittering tears were streaming down his cheeks.

"How could someone do something like this?" he whispered, looking up at the man from the corner of his eye, "How could he…" he swallowed, realizing his slip.

"This isn't about Olivia, is it?" he asked taking a seat next to the boy, "It's about Joe, isn't it?"

Elliot nodded his head slowly, folding his hands over the table.

"It's okay to feel like this, Elliot," Don reassured gently, "He put you through a lot. More than anyone should have to deal with. I'd be surprised if you didn't feel anything."

"I hate him. I hate _her_," he choked out.

"I know you do, son," Don said, hoping that calling his the name would help soothe him.

It worked. It reminded Elliot that Don was his father now, or as close a father that he had ever known, not Joe. He was safe from the abuse and neglect that had plagued him for most of his life, and he was happy. He was a little messed up, and the memories would never leave him, but he was happy.

Elliot wiped away the tears, and sighed shakily. Don placed a hand on his back, "Why don't you get some rest? Tomorrow's going to be a long day."

He nodded, and got up slowly, heading up to his room. He changed quickly, and curled up beneath the comfort of his soft white comforter. Sleep came easier than he thought it would. For that he was grateful. He didn't know how much more he could take.

He didn't stay asleep, though. Around two o'clock, his eyes popped open from a nightmare, and he sighed shakily. He hadn't had one of those nightmares in a while.

He pulled the blanket up to his ears, and closed his eyes. But sleep did not come again. He gave another agitated sigh, and kicked the covers back, sitting up. He wiped his eyes, placing his bare feet on the cool hardwood floor, and walked down to the kitchen.

Light flooded into the dark kitchen when he opened the fridge. Yawning, he grabbed the orange juice, taking a large gulp out of the carton.

"You couldn't sleep either?" he heard from the table.

He turned, and saw Olivia sitting there. He gave her a small smile as he sat next to her, "No."

She scooted closer to him, and laid her head on his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her, resting his head on top of hers.

"It sucks, doesn't it?" he said quietly. She looked up at him, and he smiled weakly at her, "I know exactly how you feel, remember? It gets better, I promise."

"I don't know what I'd do without you, El," she whispered.

He squeezed her gently, "Everyone needs someone," he answered simply, "C'mon."

He took her hand in his, and guided her into the living room. They sat on the couch, and she cuddled up next to him. Slowly, they drifted off in each other's arms.

* * *

Elliot woke up to Don shaking him lightly.

"What's up?" he asked groggily, sitting up.

"What happened last night? Why are you two sleeping on the couch?" the detective asked.

"Couldn't sleep," he answered, wiping his eyes.

Don nodded, "I'm going down to the station. You two can stay here and get some more rest. I'll call you when I need you two."

"Okay. Thanks," Elliot answered.

"No problem," Don stated, patting him on the shoulder, "See you later."

He watched Don walk out of the house, and then snuggled back down with Olivia. A while later, she stirred in his arms, and opened her eyes.

He smiled, brushing her bangs behind her ear, "Good morning."

"Hey," she answered, cuddling closer to him.

"How're you feeling?" he asked, rubbing her back gently.

She sighed in response, burying her face in his chest. He ran his hand through her hair gently, "Don's going to call us in later. You up for it?"

"I guess so," Olivia whispered, her hand going to squeeze his. Elliot brought her even closer to him, of that was possible. His lips went to his ear, and he spoke softly, and gently.

"I promise it's going to be okay," he told her, "Your mother will never hurt you again. I won't let her."

Olivia sighed shakily, and nodded, "I trust you."

"Good," he whispered, "I'll never hurt you."

The phone rang suddenly, and Elliot reluctantly moved his arm to pick it up, "Hello?"

"Hi, Elliot," Don greeted from the other end, "We have Serena Benson in custody. You and Olivia need to come down to the station."

"Alright," he answered, "We'll be down in a little while. Bye."

He hung up the phone, and pressed a kiss to Olivia's forehead, "We have to go."

She sighed, not wanting to leave his comforting embrace, "Do we have to?" she asked ever so softly.

"Yeah," Elliot told her, squeezing her tight, "We have to."

She sighed shakily, and sat up, "Okay."

He grasped her hand tightly, smiling gently at her, "I'm here, Liv. I won't leave you. I promise."

Elliot knew that she was scared and hesitant… he remembered being the same way. He felt bad for her; he knew what it felt like having to relive every bad thing that had ever happened in his life. But he knew that she had to do it. She had to do it so she would never be hurt by her mother again… and he also knew that going through what she was about to go through would give her some closure. That's what it did for him, at least.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading. Up next, Elliot realizes that helping Olivia will be harder for to him to handle than he anticipated. Who will be there for him so he can be there for Olivia? Please review!


	17. Chapter 17

A/N: Here you go, guys. Enjoy.

* * *

"Hey, Elliot," Mark Preston, Don's partner greeted as he and Olivia walked into the Special Victims squad room.

"Hey, Mark," Elliot answered, "What's up?"

"Just heading to court in a few," Mark answered, "Don's in the captain's office if that's who you're looking for."

"Thanks. See you later," the teen stated and guided Olivia to the captain's office. He knocked lightly on the doorframe. Schuler looked up, and smiled warmly at them, "Hi, Elliot. Don said you were coming by," the captain turned his attention to the girl standing next to him, "You must be Olivia. I've heard a lot about you from this guy over here."

A light blush crept across Elliot's cheeks, and he held Olivia a little bit closer to him, "So… where's Don?"

"He's in the interview room," Schuler answered, "Hold on, one second."

He walked over to the one-way glass on the left wall, and knocked lightly on it. Don entered the office from the interview room, "Hey, you two. Olivia, we have your mother in there."

Elliot wandered over to the window to look, leaving Don to talk with Olivia. Serena was sitting at the table, with her head in her hands. There was a purple bruise around her eye… from where he punched her, Elliot realized. He sighed, looking down at his shoes. His father hadn't sat like that in the interrogation room, he remembered. Joe had sat up straight and tall, like… like he was proud of what he had done.

"Elliot," Don called softly, realizing what the teen was thinking. Elliot looked up at him, and stepped away from the glass.

"You'll most likely have to testify in court against your mother. Can you handle that?" the detective asked Olivia.

Her hand slipped into Elliot's, and she nodded, "I think so."

"Elliot, you might have to testify, too, since you witnessed some of the abuse," Don stated, "You up for that?"

Elliot pulled Olivia close to him, needing some comfort himself, and gave Don a weak smile, "Did it once before… Guess I can do it again."

Don smiled as Olivia leaned into Elliot comfortably, "Guess so. Why don't you two go upstairs? Mrs. Donnelly should be here soon."

"Go ahead, Liv," he whispered in her ear, "I'll meet you up there in a minute."

Elliot turned to Don once she had left the office, "So… what do you think?"

Cragen shrugged lightly, "She's easier than you were."

The teen lowered his eyes, feeling a pang of hurt and something else. He shook it off, and spoke, "Well… I didn't have someone like she does. I had Fin and his mom and you, but no one knew what I was really going through. Liv has me. I know exactly how she feels."

Don pat him on the back, "I'm proud of you son. I know that this must be hard for you, dealing with this again, but you're doing a damn good job so far."

A small smile crossed Elliot's lips, and he spoke softly, "Thanks, Dad."

Cragen nodded, smiling back, "Go get your girl. She's waiting for you."

"Okay," he answered, and walked out of the office. When he walked up to the lounge, Olivia was sitting on the couch. He sat next to her, and pulled her close to him, "Hey."

"Hey," she answered, cuddling into his chest.

"How're you feeling?" he asked, running a hand through her hair lightly.

"Alright," she said, "Better with you here."

He smiled, pressing a kiss to her forehead, "I'm glad to be here with you."

They heard footsteps on the stairs, and Olivia stiffened. Elliot tightened his arms around her, "It's gonna be okay, Liv. Remember, I'm here to help you."

"I know," she answered.

Elliot looked up, and saw Don and Elizabeth Donnelly appear from the staircase.

"Liv," he whispered, rubbing her shoulder gently. She sat up as Don pulled two chairs over.

"Hi, Olivia. Elliot," the A.D.A greeted, sitting down. Elliot swallowed, remembering the time when she had come to talk to him.

"Olivia?" Liz asked, "Can you tell me what happened?"

Olivia squeezed Elliot's hand, and he squeezed back, pulling her closer, "It's okay, Liv," he murmured, "I'm here. You can talk to her."

His heart sunk into the pit of his stomach as he heard her story again. When she finished, she buried her face into his shoulder, on the verge of tears. He felt his eyes moisten himself, and he pulled her as close as he could, pressing his nose into her hair.

Cragen pat Liz on the shoulder, and they both walked back down the stairs. They both knew that the only ones who could fix Elliot and Olivia were each other.

* * *

Elliot walked down the stairs a while later. His clothes were rumpled, and his eyes were slightly red… he had been crying.

"Elliot?" Don asked softly from his desk, "You okay?"

He nodded, but avoided the detective's eyes, "Yeah. I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Don asked, sensing a bit of the teenager's anguish.

Elliot sighed, sitting down across from him, "What's going to happen to her, Don?"

The detective sighed, "What was going to happen to you?"

He shook his head, dropping his face into his palms, "No…"

"Elliot…"

"No," he said, "You don't get it. I… I promised her I wouldn't leave her."

"Hey," Don said gently, "It's okay. Just remember what you told her. What _I_ told _you_. Whatever happens, she'll never have to be afraid of being beaten by her mother again."

He gave a shaky sigh, and nodded his head, "Y-yeah… I guess you're right…"

Elliot loved her. She was the first girl that he ever really loved. But he knew that he was probably going to have to let her go. This wasn't about him… it was about keeping her safe. And he would do whatever it took.

When he looked up, he saw her, walking down the stairs. He smiled at her as she reached him, "Hey, Liv," he greeted, pulling her down to sit on his lap. He wrapped his arms around her waist, and rested his chin on her shoulder, "How was your nap?"

"Good," she answered, turning her head so she could press her nose into his soft hair.

Cragen smiled slightly at them. They were comforting each other by just being near each other, "Olivia, I'll take you yo your apartment and you can get your stuff. You can stay with us during your mom's trial."

"Really?" she asked, moving her head to look at the detective.

Cragen smiled, and nodded, "Of course."

"Thank you," Olivia said, smiling at him.

The detective smiled back, and then said the same words that he had said to Elliot nearly a year and a half ago, "I'm glad to do it."

* * *

Elliot got out of the car, and held the door out so Olivia could follow him, "Ready, Liv?"

She took a deep breath, and nodded, sliding her hand into his as they walked inside. When Elliot entered, he was immediately hit with a flashback… him, knocking on the door, it creaking open… seeing Serena slap Olivia, several times across the face. Him, pulling her away, punching her. And then he was suddenly thinking about being beaten by his own father.

"Elliot?" Don asked, "You okay?"

Elliot shook it off, and nodded his head, "Yeah. I'm alright."

He had to be alright. This wasn't about him anymore. It was about Olivia.

"Go get your stuff, Olivia," Don said, eyeing Elliot with a look on his face.

Olivia nodded, and pat Elliot on the back before stepping out of the room.

"Talk to me," Don said gently.

Elliot shrugged, looking down at his shoes as he leaned against the arm of the couch, "Just… remembering."

The detective sighed, and moved to stand next to him, lightly resting a hand on his back "Hey. It's okay. Both of you are safe now. You don't have to worry anymore."

"I know," he answered softly, "Doesn't mean it doesn't hurt, though."

Don nodded, and moved his hand up to the back of the teen's neck, gently pulling him into a slight half embrace, "You're okay, Elliot," he whispered, "It's over. Joe's in jail, he can't hurt you anymore."

Elliot nodded against Don's shoulder, feeling tears sting his eyes. He knew that Joe would never lay a hand on him again. But that didn't help the pain. He didn't know why… he hadn't felt like this in a while. Another flashback hit him; Joe coming at him, hitting him. Calling him names and degrading him.

He squeezed his eyes shut, moving the side of his face to rest on Don's shoulder. Don tightened his arms around Elliot as he felt his body start to shake with sobs.

"Elliot…" the detective said softly, feeling his heart break for the boy in his arms, "Shh…"

Elliot's arms wrapped around him tightly, and he continued to cry. Cragen glanced up, and saw Olivia standing at the doorway, watching them. He gestured toward her, and she walked over to them, wrapping her arms around Elliot's waist.

"Liv?" he asked, sniffling as he turned his head over his shoulder.

"Shh," she whispered, "It's okay."

Don released him, and he turned toward her, "You're the one going through this, and you're comforting me?"

She smiled softly at him, and wiped his tears away lovingly, "You're going through it, too."

He nodded, and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. He felt so lucky to have these two people in his life. He didn't know what he would do without them. "Come on, let's get out of here."

Don pat his back gently, and they walked out of the apartment.

* * *

A/N: Hope you guys liked it. Please review so I know what you all think!


	18. Chapter 18

A/N: Sorry about the lack of updates, guys. I was too busy huddling in a corner crying about Chris leaving SVU.

* * *

Elliot led Olivia into the guest room, and dropped her duffel bag onto the bed. He turned towards her, and they just looked at each other for a second before she stepped into his embrace. He wrapped his arms around her, laying a gentle kiss to the top of her head.

"Love you, El," she whispered, snuggling into his chest.

"Love you, too, Livia," he answered. He pulled her down to sit next to him on the bed. He was silent for several seconds before he spoke, "I'm glad you turned your mom in. No matter what happens, I'll be here for you." hand

She looked up at him with glossy eyes, and slipped her into his, "Even if I have to leave?"

"Yes," he whispered, dropping his forehead to hers, "Even if you have to leave."

"What happens if I do?"

He squeezed her hand gently, rubbing his thumb over the back of her palm, "Then I'll call you every day to tell you how much I love you, and how much I miss you," he kissed her softly, "And wherever you go, I'll get in my truck and visit you every time I get the chance."

"I hope I don't have to leave. I love you."

"Me, too, Liv," he murmured, "Me, too."

He tucked her into bed, gave her one more kiss, and walked out of the guestroom.

Hours later, he was still laying awake in bed. Sighing agitatedly, he threw the blankets back, sitting up. He was exhausted, but sleep would not come. Throwing his legs over the side of his bed, he let his feet touch the floor and dropped his head into his hands. His eyes fluttered closed as he felt a headache drumming in the back of his skull. He ignored it, but a little while later he felt like his skull was cracking open.

Elliot got up, and walked into the bathroom, opening the medicine cabinet. Finding what he was looking for, he grabbed the bottle of painkillers and popped a few of them in his mouth. He yawned as he walked back down the hall and climbed back into bed. He closed his eyes, and this time, he drifted off to dreamland.

* * *

When Elliot woke up the next morning, he was surprised to find Olivia, curled up to his side above the blanket, sleeping peacefully. Her head was resting against his chest. He gently ran his hand over her back, and she stirred, waking slowly.

"El…" she murmured.

"Liv," he answered, watching as her eyes fluttered open, "When did you come in here?"

She blushed slightly, "I'm sorry… I-I had a nightmare last night. I came in here because you… you make the dreams go away."

His heart melted, and he pulled her closer, "Don't apologize," he whispered in her ear, "I'm glad I can make you feel better. I love you."

She buried in her face in his warmth, and her arm wrapped around his waist, "I love you, too…"

He smiled, and covered her with the blanket, closing his eyes as they cuddled close. They were both comfortable just laying there being with each other.

They must have fallen asleep, because the ringing of the phone woke Elliot a while later. He reached over, and grabbed it, keeping his grip around his half-awake girlfriend.

"Hello?"

"Hey, man," Fin answered from the other end.

"Hey, Fin," he said, "What's up?"

"Not much. Goin' to the beach today with John. You wanna come with us?"

Elliot glanced down at Olivia. It would be good to do something fun to get her mind off of what was going on.

"Hang on, man, I'm gonna ask Liv," he said, and set the phone down.

"Liv," he said softly, running his hand down her back, "Hey, you awake?"

"Mm hm," she answered softly, looking up at him, "Who's on the phone?"

"It's Fin," Elliot said, "He wants to know if we want to go to the beach. How about it?"

She hesitated, and he squeezed her gently, "It'll be good. We both deserve to do something fun."

"Okay," Olivia agreed.

Elliot smiled, and kissed her softly, "Good."

He picked up the phone, finished talking to Fin, and then laid there with Olivia for a few more minutes before they got up. Olivia walked into the guestroom to get changed, and he dressed in his bathing suit, a black v-neck t-shirt and his sandals.

He walked to the door of the guestroom, and waited for Olivia to come out. He smiled when he saw her… she was wearing a pair of tan shorts and a red tank top. She returned the smile, "Ready?"

"Yup," he answered, taking her hand in his as they walked out of the house together. He opened the door of his truck for her, and when he got in, took her hand again, "Okay?"

She nodded, "Okay."

"Good," he answered, and started to drive.

The ride was somewhat quiet… they kept their hands linked together since they couldn't get any closer, and left the radio on just for some background noise.

They found Fin sitting on a towel in the sand when they walked onto the beach. He got up, and gave Elliot a brotherly hug, "Hey, man."

"Hey," Elliot answered, "Where's John?"

Fin chuckled, and pointed towards the water. Elliot saw their other friend, standing and talking with Casey.

"They've been glued to each other all mornin'," Fin said, "'S almost as bad as the two of you."

"Well I'll be damned," the other boy said to himself, "You know how long John has liked her?"

Fin shrugged his shoulders, "All's I know is I gotta get hooked up now."

That made Olivia, who had been silent for most of the conversation, laugh, "Aww… poor lonely Fin."

"Hey," he answered, "I'm ain't lonely, I'm just… keepin' my options open. Don't wanna get whipped like Elliot here."

"Huh?" Elliot asked, lunging forward playfully and getting his friend into a headlock, "What did you say? I might be whipped, but I can still kick your ass."

"Yeah, yeah," Fin said as Elliot released him. He gave his friend a light slap on the back of the head as he stood up straight, "Whatever."

Elliot grinned, and Olivia wrapped her arms around him, "Let's sit."

"Okay," he answered, and set the blanket down that they had brought. He heard Fin cough 'whipped', and held out his middle finger as he sat. Olivia dropped down next to him, and set her head on his shoulder. His arm went around her shoulder as he spoke, "So how long have they been neglecting you?"

Fin shook his head, "They just went for a walk. Besides, I don't wanna see them do whatever they're doing. You two are bad enough."

"We aren't that bad," Olivia answered, "At least we don't make out in public."

"As tempting as it is," Elliot said, grinning. Olivia gave him a look, and lightly slapped his chest, "Be quiet, you."

Elliot chuckled lightly, kissing her on the cheek, "Aw, you know it's true."

They saw Casey and John walking towards them then. Elliot used his free arm to wave, "Hey, you two."

"Hey," John answered, "When did you guys get here?"

"A few minutes ago," Olivia said as the two sat down on their own towel.

Fin turned to Elliot, "Hey, you wanna take a walk?"

"Sure," he answered, giving Olivia a quick kiss before getting up to walk with his friend.

Fin waited until they were a decent way away from their group before speaking, "So how's it going?"

Elliot shoved his hands in his pockets, nodding his head, "Fine."

"Did you tell her?"

He took a deep breath, "Yeah. I told her."

Fin was silent for a minute before speaking again, "What did she say?"

Elliot sighed, shaking his head, "We have more in common then I thought," he said softly.

"What?" Fin asked, "You mean…?"

"Her mom's on trial right now," he said, looking out at the water.

"She told you?"

"She didn't have to," he answered, "I saw it for myself. Took her right to the station to see Don."

"Damn, man," the other boy said, "I'm sorry."

Elliot nodded, "She doesn't really want anyone else to know about it, so…"

"Of course," Fin said immediately, "You know you can trust me."

"I do know," Elliot answered, "It's rough. I'm glad you invited us today… she can just forget about it for a little while. Both of us can."

"Yeah. You two need anything… count on me."

"Thanks, man. That means a lot."

They walked for a few minutes, and then turned back to their friends.

Elliot dropped down next to Olivia, "What do you say? Want to go for a swim?"

"Sure," she answered, getting up.

"Anyone else up for the water?" Elliot asked, looking at the rest of their group.

They all declined, so Elliot and Olivia walked down to the water together. Elliot lifted her into his arms unexpectedly, and she squealed, "El…!"

He chuckled lightly, stepping into the water. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck as he shivered slightly, "Cold."

"Ha ha," she answered.

He raised an eyebrow at her, "So that's how it is, huh?"

Olivia nodded her head, "Yup."

Suddenly, she was underwater. When she came back up, he was laughing hysterically.

"Oh, that's it," she said, and lunged at him, grabbing his waist and pulling her down with her.

He hit the water, and came up in a second, shaking the water out of his hair. It was her turn to laugh. He chuckled lightly along with her, pulling her gently into his arms, "I guess I deserved that," he murmured in her ear.

"Yes, you did," she answered, pressing a kiss to his jaw, "But it's okay, I still love you."

"I love you, too," he whispered, kissing her lips.

Fin smiled from his spot on the sand. They were in their own little world with each other… he was happy for his friend… this was the happiest that Fin had ever seen him. He just hoped that they would be okay… he had lived through one trial with Elliot and his father; he knew how ugly that it could get. He just prayed that they would last. He knew that Elliot would be broken if they didn't.

Elliot and Olivia walked back up to the blanket, and plopped down together, cuddling close. Casey smiled when she saw this, "God, you two really are adorable."

Olivia smiled, and laughed softly as Elliot pressed several kisses to her neck. "Thanks, Case."

They spent the rest of the day at the beach, and went their separate ways when it started to get dark. Elliot and Olivia went back home together, and cuddled for a while before separating to go to sleep.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading. Next, some of Serena's trial. Hope you guys enjoyed, please drop a review to cheer me up.


	19. Chapter 19

A/N: Hey, guys. Sorry it's taken so long to update :( Hope this chapter makes up for it!

* * *

Elliot buttoned the buttons of his black suit jacket, and adjusted his tie, sighing. He felt Olivia's arms slid around his waist, "You look so handsome."

He smiled slightly, turning to wrap his own arms around her, pressing a kiss to her nose. She smoothed her hands over his light blue dress shirt lovingly, "I love blue on you."

"I love everything on you," he answered, kissing her sweetly.

She smiled at how adorable he was, and slipped both of her hands into his. He squeezed them gently, "We should go. Don's waiting for us."

Olivia sighed, and nodded her head, "Yeah. Let's go."

They walked down the stairs, hand in hand. Don was sitting at the table, looking through the newspaper. He looked up at them when they walked into the kitchen, "Ready, you two?"

Elliot glanced at her, and squeezed her hand lightly, "Yeah. We're ready."

* * *

"Elliot Stabler?" the court officer asked, looking from the clipboard in his hand to the people sitting in the room.

Elliot pressed a kiss to Olivia's forehead, stood, and followed the officer into the courtroom. He was sworn in, and Liz walked up to the railing in front of him. He was struck with a strange sense of déjà vu… he had been in this very same place not too long ago. The only difference was that it was Serena Benson sitting at the defense table, instead of Joseph Stabler.

"Hi, Elliot," the A.D.A greeted, giving the teen a soft smile. She was feeling the same way… this boy had been in a courtroom far more than he should have at his age.

"Hi," Elliot answered, rubbing his hands together nervously on his lap. If he messed up… Olivia would have to go back to her mother, get beaten all over again… he wouldn't be able to live with himself if that happened.

"What's your relationship with Olivia Benson?"

"She's m girlfriend."

"Can you tell me what you witnessed with her and the defendant?"

He cleared his throat, "I went to the apartment that Olivia lived in with her mother. Knocked on the door, and it creaked open."

"What happened next, Elliot?" Liz prodded gently.

"I walked inside," he continued, his voice wavering slightly, "I saw Mrs. Benson slap her daughter three or four times."

"What did you do?"

"I picked her up, and pulled her away from Olivia. She slapped me, and I punched her to make her stop. Told Olivia to come with me. We went to SVU to tell them what happened."

"Do you know of any other time that Mrs. Benson hit Olivia?"

"I didn't witness anything else. But I saw all the bruises on Olivia… and she told me about what her mom did to her."

"Thank you, Elliot," Liz said, giving him a warm smile, "No further questions."

Serena's lawyer stood, and Elliot squirmed slightly in his chair. He remembered what happened next… it wasn't very fun.

"So you say that Serena Benson hit her daughter."

"Yes," Elliot answered, not quite sure why he was asking this question. They had already gone over this, haven't they?

"Are you sure?" he asked, stepping closer to the witness stand.

"I know what I saw, sir," Elliot answered, getting slightly defensive. He glanced at Don sitting in the crowd. The detective nodded, smiling encouragingly at him.

"I understand that you live with Detective Donald Cragen."

"Yes," Elliot answered, confused as to why the lawyer was asking him this.

He swallowed, "My real father's in jail."

"Why?"

God, why was he bringing this up? Why did it matter what had happened to him?

"Objection," Liz said, saving him.

"It's relevant, Your Honor," the lawyer answered.

"Prove relevance or move on, Mr. Henshall," Judge Adams said, "You may answer the question, son."

Almost. He had almost gotten out of it.

"He beat me," Elliot stated finally. The confidence had disappeared from his voice, "Almost killed me."

Henshall nodded his head slowly, "Uh huh. And now you think that the same thing is happening to Olivia Benson."

"What are you saying?" Elliot asked, his eyebrows furrowing.

"I'm saying, maybe you were overreacting? After what your father did, you jump at every little thing, even something that isn't really a big deal?"

"I'm not lying," Elliot said, shaking his head, "I'm not overreacting. I saw the bruises, I saw her _slap_ Olivia," Tears were burning his eyes, "I-I've been through this. I know what I saw. Serena Benson is beating her daughter and this is the only way that she can be safe again."

He sat back, trying to wipe his tears discreetly with his sleeve. Henshall sighed, stepping back, "No further questions."

"You may step down," the judge said, looking sympathetically at the boy. Even he could tell that he had been through more than he should have.

Elliot got up, and walked quickly down the aisle and out of the courtroom. When he walked back into the waiting room, Don and Olivia were sitting next to each other just how he left them.

He took a seat next to Don as Olivia's name was called, and gave her a small smile, the only one that he could summon. Don pat his back lightly, telling Elliot how proud he was. "How'd you do?" he asked gently.

"Fine," Elliot answered, "Until Henshall brought up my father."

"What?" Cragen asked in disbelief, "How could he do that?"

Elliot shrugged, "He said that I was overreacting or something because my dad used to beat the crap out of me. Mrs. Donnelly tried to object, but the judge overruled it."

Cragen pat his back lightly, "That's okay, I bet you still did great. There's no way Serena's going to get off on this. I know, Elliot. Olivia's safe."

It seemed like forever before Olivia walked back into the waiting room. Elliot immediately stood, and took Olivia into his arms, whose eyes were red. He rubbed her back gently, "You did it, Liv. Good job. Everything's gonna be fine now."

She wrapped her arms around his waist, and buried her face in his strong, somehow comforting chest, "Thanks," she whispered, so soft that he could barely hear her, "I love you."

He kissed the top of her head, "I love you, too."

* * *

The trial went on for a while, and before Elliot and Olivia knew it, they were going back to school for their senior year. They had several classes together, and other than the periods that they didn't have with each other, they were inseparable. He would drive her to his house, which she was still living in, and they would spend the rest of their free time together.

Even though the trial was still going on, neither of them went to the courthouse again. Elliot knew that Olivia didn't want to go there unless it was necessary. Before they knew it, January had rolled around.

Elliot and Olivia were cuddling on the couch together watching TV together when Don walked in, "Hey, you too. I have some news."

Elliot flipped the TV off, and Olivia sat up, "What is it?"

"The jury's agreed on a verdict in your mom's case, Olivia," he said solemnly, "Court's tomorrow… do you want to be there?"

Olivia looked at Elliot, silently asking him what she should do. He wrapped his arm tighter around her, and spoke quietly, "It's your decision, Liv. I'll be with you no matter what you decide."

"D-did you watch?" she asked.

He nodded his head, "Yeah. I did."

She sighed shakily, and nodded her head. She knew that she should be there… she wanted to know right away whether she would have to go back to that hell or not. "I'll go," she said.

Elliot smiled, letting his forehead fall against hers, "That's my girl," he whispered.

Neither of them noticed Don leave the living room. They were too busy wrapped up in each other.

They were sitting next to each other in the courtroom. Elliot's hand was grasping her own tightly… and she was holding on equally as tight. This was the moment of truth… the moment that they had been waiting for.

"In the case of the state verse Serena Benson, how does the jury find?"

"We find the defendant, Serena Benson… guilty as charged."

* * *

A/N: Please review! :)


	20. Chapter 20

A/N: Here you go guys. Chapter 20 of Adversity. Sorry about the length, I just felt like the end of this chapter was a good place to stop. Oh, and please not the A/N at the end of the chapter as well. Happy reading!

* * *

"We find the defendant, Serena Benson, guilty."

Olivia breathed a sigh of relief, and collapsed into Elliot's arms. He tightened his arms around her, whispering, "It's okay, Liv. You're safe now. I love you."

"I love you, too, El," she answered, squeezing her arms around his waist, "Thank you."

"For what?" he asked, kissing her forehead gently.

"For saving me," she replied, tucking her head under his chin.

Elliot smiled, "You did that all on your own, Liv."

"I couldn't have done it without you."

Cragen placed his hand on Elliot's shoulder, bringing them back to reality, "C'mon, you two. Let's get out of here."

She pulled away from him slowly, and they all got up and walked out of the courtroom.

"Excuse me?" a woman wearing a dark purple suit asked in the hallway, stopping them.

"Can I help you?" Don asked.

"You're Olivia Benson, correct?" she asked.

Olivia nodded her head, squeezing Elliot's hand, "Yeah. What's going on?"

"I'm Crystal McKenna. From Children's Services."

"You're here to put me in foster care," Olivia said, stepping closer to Elliot. His arm went around her protectively.

"You're grandmother in Texas is glad to take care of you," McKenna said, "We already called her."

Elliot pulled her closer, if that was possible, "When does she have to leave?"

"Friday," she answered, "We can put her in a foster home until then."

Elliot shook his head, "She's staying with me. Me and my father, Detective Cragen."

McKenna looked at Don, who nodded his head, "That's right. Olivia's staying with me."

She nodded finally, "Alright. I'll pick you up at nine o'clock Sunday morning."

"C'mon, Liv," Elliot said softly, and they walked past the woman, towards the exit of the courthouse.

Texas. Halfway across the country. Elliot couldn't stop thinking about that. She had to move to Texas in less than a week. He didn't want her to leave… god, he didn't want her to leave him.

He held her as close as he could all the way home, knowing that soon, he wouldn't be able to. They didn't speak… they couldn't. Don just watched sadly in the rearview mirror as they clung to each other as if they let go, she would have to leave even sooner. They didn't let go even as he pulled into the driveway and turned off the ignition.

"We're here," Don said softly, and they separated slowly, just to walk inside. Elliot led her up to his bedroom, and they collapsed onto the bed to hold each other some more.

"How am I gonna see you in Texas?" she whispered, tightening her arm around his middle as he pressed his face into her shoulder.

"I dunno," he answered in the same soft tone, feeling her rest her forehead against his own shoulder.

"I love you, El," she whispered, "I don't want to leave you."

"I know, Livia," he said, "I love you, too."

He didn't want to talk anymore… neither of them did. He just wanted to hold her, and to love her. And for her to love him back. His eyes fluttered closed, and he drifted off to sleep. She followed soon after.

* * *

Cragen peaked into the room, and sighed when he saw them, sleeping, holding each other on the bed, above the blankets. They were so close… closer than he had ever seen anyone. Never mind teenagers. He knew that they were both taking the news very hard. Neither of them wanted to leave each other. Maybe it was because they've been through the same thing… they knew how each other felt, they knew how to comfort each other, how to fix each other.

Or maybe it was something else. Something deeper, something stronger. Maybe it was both. He didn't know. But whatever the reason, they had become inseparable. And they were about to be separated.

When Elliot's eyes opened, he was still holding Olivia, and she was still holding him. He scooted closer to her, needing to be as close as he could. Peaking up to look out the window, he realized that it had gotten dark outside. She shivered in his arms, and snuggled further into his chest. A tiny smile crossed his lips, and he pulled the warm blanket around them both, shielding her from the cool air.

He laid there for a few more minutes, watching her sleeping features, and then got up slowly. He stretched, and walked down the stairs into the kitchen. Don was sitting at the kitchen table, looking through the newspaper. He looked up, and smiled, "Hey. How was your nap?"

Elliot shrugged as he dropped into the chair across from him. Don put the newspaper away and looked at the teen, giving him his full attention, "You want to talk?"

Elliot cleared his throat, hesitating on the question that he wanted to ask. "How would you feel about having another teenager around?"

Don smiled, knowing exactly what he was asking, "I'll get the forms. We can go up tomorrow."

Elliot smiled, "Thank you, Dad."

"I'm happy to do it, son," Cragen answered, reaching across the table to pat him on the shoulder.

Elliot stood, and pulled him into a hug, making Don's smile grow wider as he hugged him back. When they released each other, Elliot gave him one last grateful look before he headed up the stairs.

He entered his bedroom, and toed off his shoes before he slid back under the blankets next to Olivia.

"Where'd you go?" she asked in a whisper, wrapping her arm around him.

Elliot pulled her closer, and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips, "Talked to Don. If your mom signs some forms, you can stay here with us. You wouldn't have to move away."

"Really?" she asked, snuggling closer to him, "That sounds amazing."

Elliot nodded his head, "Yeah. I know."

"Do you think my mom will sign them?" Olivia wondered.

"Why not?"

She shrugged, burying her face in his chest, "We'll see."

* * *

Olivia clutched Elliot's hand tightly as the three walked down the hallway of Riker's. Elliot stopped her right before the visiting room, and pulled her into his arms, "It's okay, Liv. Whatever happens in there, it's going to be okay."

She nodded, "Okay."

He let go of her, and Don handed her the paperwork. She squeezed Elliot's hand one last time, and walked inside. Elliot leaned back against the wall, hoping that Serena Benson would finally do something good for her daughter.

* * *

A/N: Okay, guys, I know that season 13 of SVU (if you could call it that) has started. I completely resent what they're doing and am no longer watching any new episodes. So, in all of my stories past, present and future, I am going to completely disregard season 13 and any season that will most unlikely come after that.

In my opinion, Law and Order SVU ended after season 12. Thanks. Oh, and please review


	21. Chapter 21

A/N: Here's Chapter 21, guys. Enjoy.

* * *

"Hi, mom," Olivia greeted softly, sitting down across from her at the table.

"What are you doing here?" Serena asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I came to ask you for a favor," she answered, placing the papers on the table in front of her mother, "Can you sign these for me? Please?"

"What are they?" Serena asked, looking down at them.

"I'll be able to stay in New York. I'd be able to stay with Elliot and Detective Cragen."

"Elliot?" Serena repeated, "You mean that boy that hit me?"

"He was trying to protect me," Olivia told her, "He loves me; he'd do anything to keep me safe."

"Well, I don't like him."

"Please, mom. He's such a great guy, and I love him so much. Please just sign the papers so I don't have to move away."

Serena pushed the papers away from her, making Olivia's heart break, "No."

"No?" she repeated in only a whisper, "That's it? You're not even going to think about it?"

"I just did," Serena said, "No."

"You're just going to make me move halfway across the country? Leave all my friends and the only two people that have ever loved me?"

"You'll be fine with your grandmother," Serena said, "I don't want you anywhere near that boy and his father."

Olivia felt her eyes moisten, grabbed the papers, and walked out without another word.

"What did she say?" she heard Elliot ask.

Oh, Elliot… sweet, caring, loving Elliot. She walked into his embrace, needing to feel his strong arms around her. He was amazing. And she had to leave him.

She felt him lift her chin gently, and she saw his glistening eyes, "She said no, didn't she? She didn't sign the papers."

Olivia nodded hear head wordlessly, and buried her face back into his chest. He tightened his arms around her, rocking her back and forth. He was really losing her. In a few days, she would be off to Texas, halfway across the country.

"We should go," Don said softly, placing a hand on both of their shoulders, "C'mon."

Elliot dropped his arms, and linked his fingers through Olivia's as they walked out of the prison together.

* * *

Two days passed by too quickly for Elliot and Olivia. Soon, he was carrying her bags down the stairs. They were both wearing identical expressions of sorrow for what was about to happen… about losing each other. He dropped the bags by the door, and pulled her into his embrace. She wrapped her arms around him tightly, burying her face into his shoulder, "How much longer?"

"Half an hour," he whispered, not needing to look at his watch. He had checked it only moments before.

"Half an hour," she repeated, tightening her arms around his waist, "I don't want to go…"

"I know," Elliot answered, "I don't want you to go, either, Liv."

Don slowly made his way down the stairs, "You already to go, Olivia?" he asked quietly.

She looked up at the detective, and nodded her head, "Yeah."

Don nodded, "Okay."

There was a ring of the doorbell, and Elliot and Olivia's arms instantly tightened around each other, "She's early," Olivia whispered. Too early.

Elliot reluctantly let go of her, and opened the front door slowly. Crystal McKenna was standing behind it. She smiled slightly at the young couple, "Ready to go, Olivia?" she asked.

Olivia nodded slowly, "I guess so."

Elliot picked up her bags, and silently followed them out, with Cragen not far behind. McKenna popped open the trunk of the car. He placed the luggage inside, and closed it.

Olivia hugged Don, "Thanks for everything."

The detective smiled, patting her back lightly as he hugged her back, "You're very welcome, Olivia. I'm glad you could trust me enough to tell me what was going on."

Olivia smiled slightly as they let go, and then turned to Elliot, who was leaning against the car, just looking at her. She didn't want to say goodbye to him… that would mean that she really was leaving.

"C'mere," he whispered so softly that she could barely hear it.

She stepped into his embrace, the one that she knew she was going to miss dearly.

"I'm going to miss you so much," she said quietly.

"I know," he answered, "I'll miss you, too."

He let go of her reluctantly, and walked her to the passenger's side, opening the door for her. Before she could get in, though, he pulled her close and pressed his lips to hers. Her hand moved to touch his shoulder, immediately responding to the kiss. It was another thing that she would miss… kissing him.

Oh, hell. She was going to miss everything about him. His spontaneity, his sense of humor. The way short sleeves wrapped around his muscles perfectly. His perfect smile, soft hair, icy deep blue eyes. How soft his lips were when he kissed her, and how warm and welcoming his embrace was. Whenever he held her, she felt like she was sheltered from the world and its harsh realities.

"I love you, Livia," he said softly as their lips fell apart.

"I love you too, El," she whispered, feeling tears start to form.

"Hey," he whispered, pressing another kiss to her lips, "No tears, okay? It'll all be alright."

Olivia hugged him tightly, and kissed him one last time, "Bye, El."

He touched her cheek gently, "Bye, Liv."

She got into the car, and he took one last look at her before closing the door, stepping away from the vehicle. The car started to move, and his heart started to grow cold. He stood in that spot, and watched it until it disappeared, taking his love with it.

"C'mon, Elliot," Don said softly, placing a hand on Elliot's shoulder.

He pulled away slightly, and walked inside without a word. Cragen sighed… he knew that Elliot wasn't angry with him… it was hard losing someone that was so close. Especially for him, and how he lost her.

Elliot collapsed onto his bed, and sighed shakily. That was it. She was gone. God, he missed her already, and she had only been gone ten minutes.

There was a knock on the door, and Don stepped inside slowly, "Elliot? You want to talk?"

"Not really," Elliot answered softly.

Don moved to sit on the edge of the bed, not quite knowing what to say to the teen. "I'm sorry," he said lamely.

"Yeah. Me too."

Cragen was silent for a few minutes, "It's getting late. You want something to eat?"

Elliot shook his head, "I'm not hungry."

"Okay," Don said, knowing that he couldn't push, "I'll just head downstairs. You tell me if you need anything though, alright?"

The younger male nodded, and the detective left, leaving him his privacy.

Elliot knew that he wasn't going to get much sleep that night. Unfortunately, he was right.

* * *

The next day, Fin was waiting for him in the parking lot at school.

"You look like Hell, man," he greeted.

"Didn't sleep at all last night," Elliot answered as they started walking towards the entrance.

"Why not? Where's Olivia?"

He shook his head, looking down at the pavement, "Serena's in jail. We tried to get her to let Liv stay with us… but it didn't work. She… she had to move to Texas. She left yesterday."

"Oh," the other teen said, realizing why his friend looked so down. "I'm sorry."

"Yeah," he said, "Me too."

Elliot couldn't concentrate the whole day. He paid no attention to his teachers, an he swore that he failed a science test.

The house was quiet and empty when he walked inside. Too quiet. Too empty. He dropped his bag in his room, and fell onto the bed. His eyes closed on their own accord, and he was asleep.

When they opened again, Don was knocking lightly on the doorframe, "Were you asleep?" he asked softly, just noticing his tired eyes. Elliot nodded silently, sitting up slowly.

Don looked at him softly, "You want some dinner?"

"No thanks," he answered.

Don's eyebrows furrowed as he moved to sit next to the teen, "C'mon, Elliot. When's the last time you ate?"

"Look, I'm just not hungry, okay?" His tone was biting, annoyed, the tone of none other than a resenting teenager. So different, so unlike the person that Don knew he was.

"Elliot," the detective said softly, and he looked up at the older man slowly, "Do you want to talk?"

Elliot shook his head, "No. I just want to be alone."

"Are you sure?" Don asked, resting a hand on Elliot's shoulder. He knew that the teen was hurting pretty badly… he just didn't know how he could help. It was one of the worst combinations… still dealing with the abuse, and now heartbreak.

"Yes," Elliot answered simply, moving to lay back down.

The detective sighed, and nodded slowly before he got up to leave, hoping that Elliot would come to his senses and let him help before it was too late. He was starting to shut him out, and Don knew that if that happened, his temper would only get worse.

Elliot turned on his side, and closed his eyes, hoping for some more sleep. He didn't know what was happening… he didn't mean to be so cold and distant towards Don, it just happened. It was like a dark cloud was inching its way into his heart… he felt like he was on the tip top of a mountain, and if he moved a single muscle, he would fall off.

He knew that he had to pay someone a visit.

* * *

A/N: Please don't hate me! I promise, we haven't heard the last of Olivia. She'll be back soon. You know me, I can't keep them away from each other for too long.

But I can only update if you guys leave reviews and tell me what you think!


	22. Chapter 22

Elliot walked through the dark, gloomy hallways of Attica Prison, following one the guards. He opened the door, and Elliot walked inside. The man sitting at the table looked up, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm not sure," Elliot answered, sitting down across from his father.

Joe sat back, crossing his arms silently as he waited for his son to speak.

"I just…" Elliot began, "I was just wondering why."

"Why what?" Joe snapped.

"You know damn well what I'm talking about," he answered in the same tone.

"You don't need to worry about it."

Something snapped inside Elliot. He shot to his feet, making the chair he was sitting in fall back to the floor. Joe was honestly surprised when his fist collided with the table, "You know what, yeah I do," he said angrily, "You beat the living hell out of me for eight damn years, and you almost ruined my fucking life. I deserve to know."

"You don't deserve shit," Joe shouted back, "You need to be put back in your place, you ungrateful little bastard."

Elliot laughed wryly, "I'm the bastard, huh? I need to be put back in my place? Look at you. Look at where we're sitting. I have the state of New York behind me. Who… the fuck… do _you_ have, you piece of garbage?"

When Joe was silent, shocked by Elliot's amount of anger, he scoffed, "You're nothing but a coward. Beating your son for eight years for no reason at all. I hope you rot in here for the rest of your miserable life."

"You think you're so much better then me, huh?" Joe asked, "I got news for you, Elliot. You're not. You're exactly like me. I guarantee that in ten years, you'll be in the exact position that I'm in."

"That's not true," the younger Stabler said, "I'll never be like you."

Joe smirked slightly, "You already are. Look at what you did today."

Elliot swallowed, and his eyebrows crossed, "I'm outta here."

* * *

It took him half of the ride home to finally calm down. His fists, which has a death grip in the steering wheel, loosened, and he slowed down to the speed limit. What the hell was happening to him? He seemed to be getting angrier and angrier, and he couldn't stop it, no matter how hard he tried. He couldn't help but think that Joe had been right. Elliot _was _turning into him.

"Elliot, where were you?" Don asked when the teen entered the house through the kitchen.

He shook his head, not wanting to talk about it with him. He walked towards the stairs, slightly annoyed when Don followed, "You were supposed to be back here an hour ago."

"Oops," Elliot answered, feeling his anger rise up again.

"What's the matter with you?" the older man asked.

"Nothing. I'm going to bed," he said, walking into his room and closing the door behind him, directly in Don's face.

The detective sighed, leaning back against the wall. He was getting worse… how the hell was he supposed to help if Elliot kept shutting him out? Shaking his head, he started to walk back down the hall. Who was he kidding, he couldn't be a father. As soon as Elliot got hurt, he didn't know what to do. He was supposed to be able to protect him, help him when he was hurting, but he couldn't even do that.

* * *

The next morning, Don saw Elliot for about five seconds when he rushed down the stairs and took off, spouting off some excuse about being late for school. It was a lie, of course. He was a half an hour early. He sighed, pushing aside the coffee that he'd been drinking. He didn't want it anymore. He grabbed his coat, and was off.

"Don, can I see you in here, please?" Schuler asked later that morning from the doorway of his office.

"What's up?" the detective asked as he walked into the office.

"You tell me," the captain answered, "You've been distracted all morning."

Cragen sighed, sitting down across from him, "It's Elliot."

"Yeah? What about him?"

"Olivia left a few days ago. He's been distant ever since. He won't eat, he won't talk to me. He's angry and hurt, but I don't know what to do. He's shutting me out."

"Sounds like he's acting the way he was during Joe's investigation," Schuler observed.

"It's worse than that," Don whispered, "What am I supposed to do?"

"You have to figure that out on your own," the captain answered, "You know him better than anyone, and you love him. You'll figure it out."

Don sighed, and nodded his head, "Yeah. I hope so. But I feel terrible. He's hurt and he won't let me help."

* * *

Elliot walked out into the student parking lot, and started towards his truck.

"Hey, man," Fin greeted, jogging over to him, "You want to hang out?"

"Can't," Elliot answered simply, "I gotta go."

"What's going on with you?" he asked, "You've been acting wacked out lately."

The other boy shrugged as he unlocked the door to his truck.

"It's Olivia, isn't it?"

"No," Elliot answered, "It's not just about her. Not anymore."

He was about to get into his truck, but he saw something interesting not too far away. There was a teen that he knew was on the football team, pushing around a smaller freshman. This was just what he needed.

Fin watched as Elliot closed the door of his truck, and headed over to the place where the confrontation was happening.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Elliot asked, shoving the football player. He knew from around the school that his name was Mike.

The freshman ran off immediately, but he didn't really care. Mike shoved him back, "None of your damn business. Who the hell do you think you are?"

Elliot didn't answer. Instead, he took a swing at Mike's face. The other boy stumbled back, holding his bloodied nose. Before he knew it, they were engaged in a full on fist fight. Then several teachers were pulling them apart, shouting at them to knock it off.

Soon, he was sitting on a chair outside the office, and Don was inside, talking to the principal. He knew that he was in deep shit, but somehow he didn't seem to care.

Don appeared from behind the doorway, and looked down at Elliot. There was disappointment in his eyes, and something else that Elliot couldn't quite recognize. The detective nodded towards the exit to the building silently. Elliot knew what he meant, so he stood, and followed him out.

The ride home was silent. When they walked into the house, Don spoke for the first time, "Sit."

Elliot dropped onto one of the seats at the kitchen table, and Don sat across from him. He stared at the teen for several seconds before finally speaking again, "What were you thinking?"

Elliot looked away, and shook his head silently. Don's eyebrows furrowed, "I know that you've been going through a lot lately. But that doesn't mean you can start getting into fights at school and miss curfew. You need to pull your act together. Understand?"

When he got no answer, Don leaned closer, catching his eye, and repeated the question, "Do you understand me, Elliot?"

He was rewarded with a small, silent nod. Don's gaze softened, and his tone turned gentle, "Elliot, I'm trying to help you. Don't you understand that? I know that you're hurting, but I don't understand why you won't let me help."

"I don't need help," he answered weakly.

"That's bull and you know it," Don stated. Elliot said nothing else, and he sighed in defeat, "You can go now if you want."

Elliot was gone in a flash. Don sighed. He was afraid… afraid for Elliot, for what would happen to him if he continued down this path. He was afraid that he was going to lose his son.

* * *

The next day went by in a haze for Elliot. When the last bell finally rang, he was outside in a flash. He got into his truck, and pulled out of the parking lot. He didn't feel like going home, so he just drove around for hours. It was four o'clock when he found himself in driveway of his old home.

He sighed, and got out of the truck, making his way to the front door. It was unlocked. The house was dark, just like he had last seen it. When he walked into the kitchen, he saw himself, being beaten that night, almost being choked to death. He shook his head slowly, and walked up the stairs to his old room. Sitting on the desk was a picture that he hadn't wanted… him and his father. He was younger, ten years old, and Elliot could see the pain in his younger self's big blue eyes already. He picked up the picture, and without thinking, he threw it. A tiny bit of satisfaction leaked into him when the glass shattered against the wall.

He couldn't be there anymore, so he got out, and sped all the way back home. When he got there, his anger still hadn't subsided. He didn't know what to do, he just wanted it to go away. Elliot walked up to the bathroom, and started the faucet, splashing cool water on his face. He looked at himself in the mirror, and he couldn't take it.

Suddenly, the glass was shattering, and his fist was bloody and pulsing with pain. He collapsed on the edge of the tub behind him, feeling tears start to form in his eyes. He blinked them away… what the hell was happening to him?

"Elliot?" he heard Don's worried voice ask, "What happened in here?"

Elliot shook his head without looking up. He couldn't look at the detective right now. He just couldn't.

Don quickly abandoned the thoughts of his broken mirror, and kneeled in front of him. Helping Elliot was more important now. He gently took Elliot's busted up hand, examining his bloody knuckles. He sighed, and got the first aid kit out from the closet.

Elliot winced when he felt stinging as Don cleaned his knuckles, and wrapped his hand in gauze.

"You want to talk now?" he asked gently.

Elliot was ashamed. He couldn't tell the older man what he was feeling… Don would just thin that he was turning into Joe. But he was. That was the worst thing.

"Elliot, you need to talk to me," he said, "You need to tell me what's wrong so I can help you."

He shook his head, standing so that he could walk out.

"You want to tell me where you were yesterday?"

Elliot sighed, "Attica."

"Attica?" Don repeated incredulously, "You mean you went to see…"

Elliot nodded slowly, looking down at the tile floor.

"Why the _hell_ would you do that?"

"Because I wanted answers," he answered in a biting tone, "He's my father. A year with you doesn't change that. You're the reason my life is so damn messed up!"

"What are you talking about?" Don asked. Jesus Christ, what was going on with him?

He shook his head, and started to walk away, but Don grabbed his arm, pulling him back almost violently. He wanted an explanation. He realized his mistake two seconds too late.

A pang of fear ran through Elliot, and he thought, just for a second, that Don was going to hit him. "Get your hand off of me."

"Elliot…" the older man started, loosening his grip, "I'm so-

"Save it," he answered, pulling away, "Just stay away from me."

Cragen's heart broke as Elliot walked out of the bathroom. He didn't try to follow… he knew that what he did was stupid. How could he do that to _Elliot_, of all people, who'd been beaten by his father?

Elliot walked into his room, and slammed the door, starting to gather his things. He grabbed his backpack, shoved his keys in his pocket, and was about to leave when his phone rang from the night table. He froze, and stared at it, asking himself if he should pick it up or just leave it.

Finally, he decided to grab it, "Hello?"

"Elliot," she heard a female voice from the other end.

He sighed, relief flooding into him, "Liv…"

* * *

A/N: Cliffhanger, I know! Thanks for reading, and tell me if I should continue or not by reviewing!


	23. Chapter 23

A/N: Here's chapter 23, guys.

* * *

He sighed, relief flooding into him, "Liv…"

"It's so good to hear your voice," Olivia said, "I miss you."

"I miss you, too," Elliot answered, dropping onto his bed. The rollercoaster of emotions that he had been going through had suddenly soothed and he felt better, "I'm so happy you called."

"How's everything up there?" she asked. She could tell that something was wrong, and he knew that. "Are you okay?"

"Not really," he admitted, begging for his voice to not crack, "God, Liv… everything's falling apart."

"It's okay, baby," Olivia soothed, wishing more than anything that she could reach out and touch him, "We both have to hang in here."

Elliot swallowed, staring at the bag that he had dropped on his floor near the door, "I-I'll come out there. We won't have to be apart, I'll take my stuff and drive down there. There's nothing left for me here, I'll stay with you."

"El…" she said softly. She would love that more than anything… but she knew that it was impossible. "You have to stay in New York. I love you and I want to be with you, but you belong there. That's your home. Don's there, he loves you."

Elliot sighed, his shoulders drooping, "You're right."

"I know," she said, "Everything's gonna be okay. I love you."

"I love you, too," he answered, "I-I have to go. I'll call you, okay?"

"Okay," Olivia said, slightly disappointed. She had been excited to talk to him, but he was even worse off then she was, "Everything's gonna be okay, El. I promise."

Elliot nodded, even though he knew that she couldn't see him, "I hope so. Talk to you later."

"Bye," she said softly, and he hung up, feeling his eyes moisten. What was he supposed to do now?

He grabbed his bag, and walked down the stairs. Luckily, he didn't run into Don on his way outside. He got into his truck, shaking his head violently. God, this was so messed up. He grabbed the steering wheel with both hands, saw the gauze on his fist, stained slightly with his blood… he needed help. He needed help, but he didn't know where to turn.

He didn't want to drive, so he shoved the seat back, just like the night Joe threw him out, and went to sleep, hoping that morning would bring answers.

When his eyes opened, it was light out, and Don's car was gone. He checked his watch… it read ten o'clock. He started the truck, backed out of the driveway, and pulled away from the house.

* * *

Elliot walked into the small gray room, and a tiny bit of his turmoil drained away when he saw the person sitting at the table.

"Elliot," she greeted warmly, standing so she could hug him.

His arms closed around her, "Hi, Mom."

"I'm so happy to see you," she told him, rubbing his back lightly as she held him in her motherly embrace.

"Me, too," he answered sincerely. It seemed as if she was the only one who would understand. That's why he had come to her.

She pulled away slightly, and held his chin gently, like only a mother could. Her happiness turned into slight worry when she looked at his face, "What's wrong, sweetie?"

He shook his head, moving to sit at the table, "Nothing. I'm fine."

"You're lying, I can tell. You squint," she stated, sitting beside him. Her hand went to rub his back gently.

A tiny, sad smile crossed his lips, "I never could lie to you, could I? You've always seen through me."

Bernie smiled back at him. She knew that he wasn't just talking about today. Her arm wrapped around him, "No, you couldn't. Now tell me what's bothering you."

Elliot sighed shakily, feeling tears form. He couldn't hold it in anymore. He had been for a while, but he couldn't anymore. He needed a release, and he knew that his mother was the best person that he could let go with. The tears started to flow, and Bernie turned him towards her gently. She didn't say anything, she just pulled him into her warm, motherly embrace, rubbed his back, and let him cry. She knew that he needed this."

"It's okay, sweetheart," she whispered in his ear, "Just let it out. I'm here."

He wrapped his arms tightly around her, buried his face in her shoulder, and just cried. God, he _hated_ this. Everything had been fine. Everything had been perfectly fine, and now it seemed like his whole world was collapsing around him. Olivia was gone. Don probably hated him, he was angry and sad… he just wanted to crawl into a hole and never come out.

Elliot pulled away slightly, not bothering to wipe his tears away. They were still falling anyway.

"I-I messed up, mom," he sniffled.

"How did you mess up, baby?" she asked gently.

He shook his head, letting out a quiet sob, "He loved me, and I was terrible to him."

Bernie knew that he was talking about Don. Who else would it be? She rubbed his back soothingly, waiting for him to continue, because he knew that he had more to say. She, as always, was right.

"I don't know what to do. I feel like…" he dropped his voice to a whisper, "I feel like Dad. I'm _acting_ like Dad."

"Elliot Joseph Stabler," Bernie said, shocked by her son's words, "You look at me right now."

He raised his eyes slowly to look at her, and Bernie framed his face with both of her gentle hands, "You're nothing like Joe. Do you hear me? Nothing at all. He hurt you, sweetheart. He hurt you even more than you realize. It's okay to feel like this, but you can't shut us out. It breaks my heart to see you like this. I love you more than you can imagine."

Elliot nodded slowly, and she wiped his tears away gently, "I want you to go home right now and talk to Don alright? Straighten this out. I know that he loves you, he's been more of a father to you than Joe ever was."

Elliot sniffled, and nodded his head again, knowing that she was right. Bernie pulled him back into a hug, which was gladly returned. When he released her, she caught his hand in hers, noticing the bandages.

"What happened?" she asked, gently running her thumb over his knuckles.

"Oh, I, uh… got into a fight with a mirror," he answered sheepishly.

She gave him a look, but rubbed his shoulder gently, "Don't hurt yourself like that, Elliot. You know better than anyone that violence won't solve your problems."

Elliot remembered his fight in the parking lot, and nodded, ashamed, "Yeah. I'm sorry."

She stood, bringing him along with her, and walked him to the door, "It's alright. You come by again soon, huh? I miss you."

"I will," Elliot answered.

"Good," she said, rubbing his back lightly as she opened the door for him, "Now go make things right again."

"Thank you, mom," he whispered, and kissed her cheek before he walked out.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading. Please review and let me know if I should continue this or not


	24. Chapter 24

A/N: Sorry for such a long wait, guys! Here's Chapter 24 for you. Enjoy!

* * *

A while later, he was sitting on a bench outside of the Special Victims Unit squad room, head in hands, trying to figure out what he was going to say to Don.

"Elliot?" he heard from above him. When he looked up, he saw Captain Schuler standing in front of him, "Are you okay? What's going on?"

"I'm fine," Elliot answered, "I just came to talk to Don. Is he here?"

"Yeah, he's at his desk," Schuler stated, "Go ahead in."

He stood, and walked into the bullpen. His eyes fell upon Don's desk, where he was sitting, filling out paperwork. He sighed shakily, and shoved his hands into his pockets as he started towards the detective.

Don looked up, and set down his pen when he saw the teenager walking towards him.

"Can I talk to you?" Elliot asked. Don was surprised by his pleading tone.

"C'mon," he said, standing. They walked into one of the interview rooms, and he closed the door behind them. The detective looked intently at the boy that had become a son to him, "What's going on?"

"I couldn't wait till you got home," Elliot said softly, sitting down at the table. Don followed suit, sitting next to him, "Okay."

He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it when no words came out. Why was this so hard to say? The detective folded his hands over the table, waiting patiently. He didn't know what the boy was trying to say… but he could tell that it was hard for him.

Elliot shook his head, feeling tears prickle at his eyes, "Don… I'm so sorry," he lowered his eyes to the table. He was too ashamed to even look at the man, "You've done nothing but good for me, and…" he choked back a sob, "I treated you like that. I'm sorry…I…"

"Shh," Don interrupted. His hand went to Elliot's back, "I know, Elliot. It's okay, I understand."

Elliot raised his eyes to meet the detective's and he sniffled, unbelieving, "Y-you mean you're just going to forgive me?" he asked, unable to keep the sorrow out of his voice, "After I was such an ass to you?"

Don moved his hands to Elliot's shoulders, looking into his eyes, "You listen to me, and you listen good," Don said seriously, but gently at the same time, "You're going through a lot, Elliot. I know that. But you're my son, blood doesn't matter. I love you."

"Y-you do?" he asked quietly.

Don chuckled lightly at the teen, "Of course. So… do you want to talk to me about what's been going on with you lately?"

Elliot swallowed, lowering his eyes back down to the table, "At first it was just Liv. I was… sad that she left, you know? But… it got worse. Obviously. I was so angry. And I don't know why. I couldn't talk to you. I was… ashamed."

"I get that," Don said, but gently lifted his wrist, showing off his blood-stained bandages, "But doing this won't help, Elliot. Hurting yourself won't make you feel better. You can't go around punching things."

Elliot nodded slowly, "Yeah, I know. I'm sorry."

Don pat his back gently, "It's alright. C'mon, I'll take you home and make some dinner. You need a nice big meal."

"Okay," Elliot agreed. He really was hungry.

* * *

Elliot dropped into his usual seat during lunch, and shoved a French fry into his mouth, chewing it. Fin sat next to him after a few minutes, "Hey, man."

"Hey," Elliot answered.

"Where were you yesterday? Didn't see you at all," the other boy asked.

He cleared his throat, "I, uh… I went to see my mom."

Fin nodded his head, "Oh. Sorry."

"Don't be," Elliot said, and looked up. He saw a man in uniform standing at the front of the cafeteria. There was a poster set up, and a dozen different pamphlets. He looked like a Marine.

"What's that?" he asked curiously.

"Recruiter," Fin answered, "He was here yesterday, too."

Elliot stood up, and Fin looked up at him, "Hey, what are you doing?"

He shrugged his shoulders, and walked over to the set-up. He picked up one of the pamphlets, and started to flip through it.

"You thinking about enlisting?" the recruiter asked, surprising Elliot.

He thought for an instant, and nodded his head, "Yeah. I am."

"It's a good choice," the Marine answered. He reached into his uniform and handed him a business card, "Give me a call if you want more information or if you want to put your name down."

"Yeah," Elliot answered, shoving the card into his pocket, "I will."

* * *

When Elliot walked into the house, Don was already home, "Hey. How was school?"

Elliot shrugged, "It was alright."

He opened his bag, and took out the pamphlet from the Marines. He placed it on the table, sliding it over to Don. The detective picked it up, and looked it over, pressing his lips into a thin line, "You want to join the Marines," he stated, "I didn't know you were interested."

Elliot shrugged, "Neither did I until this afternoon."

Cragen drew in a breath, and nodded, "Talk to me."

The teen sighed as he sat down across from the detective, "You know… where I come from. You've seen my father, you've seen me. I don't want to hate myself like he does. I don't want to be so angry. This is what I want to do. Something that matters, something that I can be proud of."

Don nodded his head, and slid the pamphlet back over to him, "That's a good decision, Elliot. I'm proud of you."

Elliot smiled slightly, and nodded once, picking up the papers.

Elliot collapsed onto his bed, and took the business card out of his pocket, grabbing the phone off his night stand.

"Lieutenant Taylor," he heard over the phone after he had dialed the number, "United States Marine Corps."

"Hi, Lieutenant Taylor," Elliot greeted, "It's Elliot Stabler from Park East High School. I called to let you know I want to put my name down. Officially."

"That's great, Elliot. Why don't you come down to my office on Monday, four o'clock? We'll fill out the forms and talk about basic training."

"Sounds good. I'll see you then," he answered, and hung up the phone.

Elliot took a deep breath, and rolled onto his back, running a hand idly over his chest. He was really doing this. He was really going to join the Marines.

Olivia burst into his mind, and he sighed, turning onto his side. He curled up to his pillow, his eyes closing slowly. He missed her… he missed her voice, her soothing touch, her beautiful brown eyes. The way she felt in his arms… he just wanted to hold her again.

He heard a knock on the door, and rolled over to look at Don, who was standing in the doorway, "Hey," the older man said softly, and moved to sit on the bed with the teen, "You make the call?"

Elliot nodded slowly, "Yeah."

"What's wrong?"

"Liv," he whispered, burying his face into the pillow.

Don sighed, and squeezed the teen's shoulder gently, "You really miss her, don't you?"

He sighed, and nodded, "Yeah."

The older man didn't know what to say. So he didn't say anything. He just sat there for several minutes, and then gave Elliot's shoulder one more squeeze before he got up, "It's going to be okay, Elliot. Trust me."

He sighed shakily, "Y-yeah. I know."

"As soon as you graduate, she'll probably be back here," the detective said, somehow knowing that it was true.

"But I won't be," he murmured softly, staring up at the ceiling.

Don moved to the door, and leaned against the frame, "Doesn't matter. If she loves you as much as I think she does… she'll wait for you. You know I have an empty bedroom right down the hall."

He put his arm behind his head, studying the detective, "You'd do that? You'd let her stay with you?"

"Of course," Don answered, "I was willing to do it before, wasn't I?"

Elliot nodded, "Yeah. You were."

Don nodded as well, leaving the rest to him, "Good night, Elliot."

He closed the door behind him, and the teen sighed before he pulled the blanket over him. His dreams, that night, were filled with Olivia.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading, guys. Please review. I'm hoping for at least seven reviews this chapter. It would be great if you guys could give me that :)


	25. Chapter 25

A/N: I decided to give you guys an early update. Enjoy!

* * *

Don got home early from work on Monday, but Elliot wasn't there. It was quarter of five; he guessed that he was still at the meeting. After throwing on a pot of coffee, he sat down with the newspaper. He had read the first few pages before he heard the door open, and he looked up, smiling when he saw the teen enter, "Hey."

"Hi," he answered, taking a seat at the table, "You're home early."

Don shrugged his shoulders, "The captain let me go early. How was the meeting?"

"Good," Elliot said, "It's official. After I graduate, I'm going to California for basic training."

Cragen nodded his head, smiling slightly, "That's good."

There was silence for a few minutes, and he spoke again, "Are you going to tell your mom and Joe?"

Elliot sighed, sitting back against the chair, "I'll tell my mom. But… I don't think I want to see Joe anytime soon. I mean, after a few days ago…"

"You never told me what happen," Don said quietly.

Elliot sighed shakily, running a hand through his hair, "I don't… I don't really know why I went there. I guess… I was so angry, and I didn't know why. I hated Serena for what she did to Olivia, and for not just signing the damn papers. I wanted to know why she did that to her. Why _he_ did that to _me_," he paused to take a breath, "He was being an asshole. As usual. I got… so angry at him. All's I could think about was how bad he treated me, how he hit me almost every day. I just want to know why. Why would he do that to me?"

"I don't know, Elliot," Don said softly, "I wish I did."

He nodded slowly, but was silent. Don waited for him to speak, but when he didn't, the detective did instead, "What made you feel better?"

"I went to see my mother," Elliot answered softly, "I felt so terrible for treating you the way I did, and I didn't know what to do. She made me realize that I was being stupid. You love me, no matter what happens. I should have known that."

Don reached across the table to squeeze his shoulder, "I'm just glad that you know now. Remember… you can tell me anything."

Elliot nodded, smiling slightly, "Yeah. I think I'll go talk to her this weekend."

"Good," the older man answered.

* * *

Elliot walked up to his room, and collapsed onto his bed, reaching for the phone. He dialed Olivia's number, and waited for her to pick up. It rang several times, but there was no answer. He sighed in disappointment when the answering machine picked up.

"Hey, Liv. I just wanted to talk to you," he said, and paused, "I miss you. Call me when you get this… if you want. Bye."

He hung up the phone, and fell back against the mattress, sighing. He wished he could have talked with her… he wished that he could tell her what he had decided to do.

Six days later, an escort was opening a door, and his mother was sitting at the table. He smiled at her, "Hi, mom."

He hugged her, and she pressed a kiss to his cheek, "I'm glad you came back so quick. Did you fix it with Don?"

Elliot nodded his head, "Yeah. Everything's good now."

"Good," she answered, taking a seat. Elliot pulled a chair over to sit closer to her, "Yeah. Actually, I uh… came here to talk to you about something else."

"What is it?" she asked, and he could hear the concern laced in her voice.

"Nothing bad," he said quickly, "I decided to join the Marines."

"You did?" she asked softly, touching his hand lightly.

He nodded, "Yeah."

She smiled softly at him, feeling motherly worry surface at the thought of her son fighting in any war. But she knew that she couldn't stop him from doing something that he wanted to do. She couldn't help but think what a good match he was for the military. Maybe it would be good for him. "If that's what you really want to do, then I'm happy for you."

He nodded his head, "It is, Mom."

Bernie nodded, squeezing his hand lightly, "I'm proud of you."

He smiled slightly, "Thanks."

Her smiled grew a little, "You've grown up," she said softly, "Graduating school; going into the Marines… you turned out alright, didn't you?"

He chuckled softly, "Yeah, I guess so."

They talked for a few minutes before he left to go home.

* * *

When Elliot got out of his truck to head into the school that Monday, Fin was waiting for him, "Hey, man."

"Hey," he answered, pushing the door closed.

"Only one more month in this place," he said, "Can you believe that? Thirty days until we graduate."

"No," Elliot replied, "I can't. It's crazy."

"You goin' to prom?"

He made a face, "I don't know, man."

He had planned to go at one point… before Olivia had left for Texas. Now it seemed like he was betraying her by even thinking about going.

"C'mon," Fin said, "It's gonna be fun. You don't have to bring anyone, just come and hang out with us. John's going with Casey, I asked Mel."

"Nah, you guys are going out, you don't want me hanging around…"

"You're our friend, man. We all want you to come and have some fun."

Elliot sighed as they walked into the school, "I'll think about it."

Fin pat him on the back, "You do that."

What went by slow for all the other seniors flew by for Elliot. Soon, he found himself in a crown of his classmates, throwing their caps up into the air. Don was there with him, giving him a hug and congratulating him and telling him how proud he was.

"Thanks, Dad," he answered, hugging him back.

Fin walked up to him, and pat Elliot on the back, "So, you gonna come tonight?"

Don, knowing what he was talking about, "Go ahead, Elliot. Have some fun."

Elliot sighed, and nodded his head, "Alright, I'll go."

"Cool," Fin said, "I'll see you later then."

His longing for Olivia to the surface… if she were still here, he'd be glad to go to the dance with her. They would've had so much fun together. But she was in Texas, and he was here in New York… it seemed like they were a world apart. God, he wished she was there with him, graduating with him…

Later that night, he had dressed in a suit and was sitting out on a bench in front of the school. Fin had offered him a ride in the limo that the four had rented together, but he had politely refused. He decided to just drive himself.

He saw his friends exit a limo that had just pulled up to the curb, and stood, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Hi, Elliot," Casey greeted, giving him a hug.

"Hi," he answered as she let go, and Melinda followed, "Sorry about Olivia. I know much you wanted her to be here."

Elliot felt a sudden wave of sadness, but forced a slight smile, "Jeez, Mel, you make it sound like she's dead or something. She'll… she'll be back in New York soon."

Fin pat his back, realizing what Elliot was feeling, "C'mon. Let's go in."

They walked inside, and grabbed a table, taking a seat. They ordered their meals, and Melinda spoke, "So, what are you guys doing now?"

"College," Casey stated, then hopefully law school."

"College, too," Munch said, "NYU."

Fin nodded, "Same here. Looks like I'm stuck with Munch here for a while longer."

"What about you, Elliot?" Casey asked, "What school are you going to?"

Elliot shrugged lightly, sipping at his water, "Boot camp."

They were all surprised. Fin said, "I didn't know that you were joinin' the military."

"Marines," the other boy stated, "Signed up last month."

The food came, and he took a bite of his pasta. They were all still looking at him, surprised.

"Why are you all looking at me like that?" Elliot asked, "I'm broke, and there's no way I was going to let Don pay for college. And after everything I went through with my father, who I am… just seems like the military is the best thing for me."

They were all contemplating what their friend had said, and Elliot cleared his throat, not quite liking all the attention on him. This was more about them, after all. He was only along for the ride.

The finished dinner, and John and Casey got up to dance. Fin glanced at his friend, looking lonely in his spot at the table, and sighed, "Hey, Elliot…"

He smiled slightly, "Go ahead, man. Have fun."

Fin reluctantly got up, Melinda following him. She leaned down to kiss him on the cheek, "It's okay, Elliot."

He nodded his head, "I know. Thank you, Melinda."

Elliot had been sitting alone for a while before he felt a light tap on his shoulder. He turned, and saw a pretty girl standing in front of him. He recognized her as one of Casey's friends, Becca, "Hi. I was watching you from the table over there, and I noticed that you don't have a date. I was wondering, would you like to dance?"

He gave a tiny smile, and nodded, taking her outstretched hand, "Okay."

He didn't really know what he was doing… but he felt so lonely sitting here around all these couples that he didn't care who he was with at the moment.

A slow song started to play, and he found Becca's arms wrapping around his neck as they swayed to the music. His arms went around her waist slowly.

The song ended, and it was halfway through another one before he realized that he couldn't do this. He felt a strong sense of betrayal to Olivia… he couldn't do this. He stepped away from her, lowering his eyes, "I-I'm sorry, Becca. You're sweet, but…"

Becca smiled slightly, nodding her head, "I understand. Thanks for giving me a chance."

Elliot turned, and headed to the spot were his friends were dancing, and Fin turned to him, "Hey, man. Saw you dancin' over there. Was it good?"

Elliot shrugged a single shoulder, giving them a faint smile, "Thanks for inviting me here, guys, and Casey, thanks for trying to hook me up. I really appreciate it. But I'm gonna get going. There's really no place for me here."

Fin sighed, realizing that he couldn't talk him out of it, "Okay, man. Sorry it didn't work out."

Elliot nodded his head, looking at the floor, then up to his friend, "Me, too. See you later."

He made his way out, but didn't feel like going home, so he went out to the docks. He knew that it was dangerous at night, but he didn't seem to care. Taking a seat on the ledge, he looked out at the moonlit ocean.

He had graduated school, he would leave for California in a few days… he was starting a new life. He sighed softly, pulled off his shoes and socks, and scooted forward to put his feet in the water. It was warm out… he loosened his tie and pulled off his jacket. It was strange… here, by himself under the moon, looking out at the ocean, he didn't feel so lonely anymore.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading, guys. Please review!


	26. Chapter 26

A/N: Next, Elliot goes off to Basic Training, and Don gets a visitor. Guess who it is?

* * *

Don knocked on the door of Elliot's room. He turned around, and smiled softly, "Hey."

"Hi," the older man answered, walking over to him, "Almost done packing?"

Elliot nodded his head as he zipped his duffel bag, "Yeah."

"Good," he said, shoving his hands into his pockets, "I remember going through basic in the army. It was hell. You ready for it?"

"I think so," Elliot stated, smiling at him, "Lived through my dad, think I can live through anything, right?"

Don patted his shoulder, chuckling softly, "Yeah, right. Get some rest, you have an early start tomorrow."

Elliot nodded, and watched Don walk out. He threw the bag next to the door, changed, turned the lights off, and collapsed into bed. Surprisingly, he fell asleep easily.

They left early the next morning for the airport. Don walked through security, and into the terminal. They sat together by the window until his flight was called. They both stood, and Don cleared his throat, holding out his hand, "See you in a while, then."

"Yeah," Elliot answered, shaking it, "See you."

Elliot couldn't help it. He pulled Don into a father-son hug. Don immediately hugged him back, "You look out for yourself, huh? You're strong; I know you can get through it."

Elliot nodded his head, "I won't disappoint you."

"I know you won't" Don answered, patting his back, and spoke jokingly, "Now get outta here."

The younger man laughed, and nodded, picking up his bag, "Bye."

He turned away, and walked through the doors to get on the plane. Don stayed in the terminal until the plane took off, and then went home. It was quiet when he entered the house… too quiet. It was the first time in two years that the house was empty like this.

It was late afternoon when the doorbell rang. He got up, and walked into the living room. He was surprised to see who was on the front steps.

"Olivia," he greeted, "Hey."

"Hi," she answered, hugging him, "It's good to see you."

"Come in," the detective said, stepping inside.

She walked in, and he led her into the kitchen to sit down, trying to figure out what to say to her. He knew why she came here, what other reason would she have?

"So… is Elliot here?" she asked softly. She had been so excited to see him, she'd left for New York as soon as she could. She couldn't wait to hold him again, kiss him… hear his voice.

Don sighed. He had known something like this would happen, "Olivia, Elliot left this morning. He enlisted in the Marines, he's going to California."

"Marines?" she repeated softly. She'd just gotten home, and now _he_ had left?

"He misses you a lot," Don said softly, "He wanted to make sure you knew that. He loves you."

"I love him, too," she stated quietly, looking down at the table. God, she wished she came just a day earlier.

"I'm going out for his graduation in twelve weeks. Why don't you stay here until then, and I'll buy your plane ticket."

She looked up at him, "You don't have to do that…"

Don smiled softly at her, "I know that. But I want to."

"Thank you," she said softly.

* * *

Elliot collapsed into his bunk, sighing heavily. He was tired, and aching… he'd spent the day conditioning. Push-ups, sit-ups, long runs and obstacle courses… he had known that this was going to be hard, but not quite like this.

He wondered what Don was doing… what Olivia was doing. Was she thinking about him, like he was thinking about her? Did she miss him, did she know where he was, what he was doing? He had wanted to call her… he had wanted to tell her what was going on with him. But she hadn't answered. He wished more than anything that she had.

His muscles relaxed as he started to drift off… he welcomed sleep into his exhausted system. His dreams that night were of Don, and Olivia… and home.

* * *

Olivia was laying in Elliot's bed, cuddled under the blankets. She had stolen a pair of his sweatpants and a sweatshirt from his dresser, enveloping her in his scent, which she had missed so much.

She was looking at a picture of the two of them that he had on his night stand… she couldn't wait for twelve weeks to be up so she could see him again.

"I miss you, El," she murmured to herself, "Can't wait for you to come back to me."

Don walked up the stairs, and was surprised when he saw the light to Elliot's room was on. He peered inside, and smiled slightly when he saw Olivia laying in the bed, "Hey," he greeted softly.

She turned towards him, "Hi."

He stepped a little further into the room, "Twelve weeks will be over before you know it. Trust me."

"I hope so," she whispered softly.

Despite his promise, though, twelve weeks went by agonizingly slow for all of them. Don continued his work in the Special Victims Unit. Olivia got a job at the precinct, filing paperwork and doing other secretarial jobs. Basic training went on for Elliot. It was hard work, but he got through it, and stayed at the top of his class.

He was in the barracks, tucking in his uniform shirt. His heart was pounding in his chest, he was so excited. All of his hard work was about to pay off.

"Stabler," he heard Jacobs, another one of the men graduating call, "C'mon, we can't be late."

Olivia's heart was pounding just as hard as Elliot's. She was so happy that it was finally the day… she would finally see him again. The recruits were lining up… she scanned the men with her eyes, searching for his clear, deep blue eyes, his perfect face.

Her heart exploded in her chest when she saw him, standing tall and proud in his uniform. Their eyes met, and a huge smile crossed his lips. She waved, and he gave her a mock salute.

He couldn't breathe. He couldn't think. His heart was bursting with love for her, god, she was _here_, watching him. This really was one of the best days of his life.

Olivia didn't hear any of what the officers were saying. She was too busy staring at him, having a silent conversation.

_I missed you._

_I know. I missed you, too._

_I can't wait for this to be over so I can hold you again._

_I dreamt about you. Almost every night. I love you._

_I love you, too._

Their contact was broken briefly when the officer walked in front of him to pin his badge onto his uniform. They saluted, the man moved on, and his gaze returned to her. The ceremony ended, the new Marines were dismissed, and she was up, going to meet him, with Don right behind her.

It only took a minute to find him, but for her, it seemed like forever. As soon as she saw him, she ran to him. Elliot wrapped his arms around her tightly, laughing happily into her ear. Their lips met in an earth-shattering kiss.

"El…" she whispered, framing his face with both of her hands.

"I love you," he answered, "I missed you so damn much."

"Me, too," she said, and they kissed again.

Don stood back, shoving his hands into his pockets as he watched the reunion. His heart warmed at their love for each other… yes, he knew that this wasn't just puppy love. This was the eternal bond, the connection that some people could only dream about. They loved each other, more than he thought they had loved anyone else.

Elliot released her reluctantly, and smiled at the older man, "Hi."

Don looked at him, and smiled. He could already tell that Elliot was different somehow. He stood taller; he seemed prouder… there was a military air about him.

"Hi," Don answered, holding out his hand. Elliot took it, and pulled him into a father/son hug, "Congratulations."

"Thanks," Elliot said, smiling as he wrapped his arm around Olivia's shoulders, pulling her closer.

She rested her head into the crook of his arm, and rubbed his back lightly. She could feel strong, defined muscles that she hadn't felt before. He had gotten stronger. She liked it.

"C'mon," he said, "I'll show you the barracks."

It was the best day that Elliot and Olivia had in a long time. They were inseparable, never letting go of each other's hand.

"So, how long are you home for?" Don asked.

"Two weeks," Elliot answered, "Then I'm going to South Carolina for AIT."

"AIT?" Olivia asked.

"Advanced Individual Training," he explained.

"What are you going for?" Don asked.

"Hand to hand combat," Elliot answered.

Don chuckled lightly, shaking his head, "Should have guessed. That's good, Elliot."

The younger man smiled, "Thanks. So I have my flight on Monday… I'm here until then. What's going on with you guys?"

"We got a flight with you," Olivia answered, smiling at him.

* * *

That night, Elliot went to the hotel with Don and Olivia. She pulled him into her room, and wrapped her arms around him, kissing him. He sighed into the kiss… he never wanted it to end.

When they broke apart, he pulled her down onto the bed with him. She scooted close to him, took his hand and laced her fingers with his.

"It's so good to be with you again," he told her, smiling softly at her.

She smiled back at him, "I know. I love you, El."

"And I love you," he answered, moving slightly closer to her. His muscles ached, and he winced slightly.

"What's the matter?" she asked softly.

He shook his head, "All that training's coming back to me, I guess."

She smiled softly, "You worked hard. C'mere."

Olivia sat up, pulling him so that he was sitting between her legs, "What are you doing…?"

She answered his question by moving her hands to his strong, muscular shoulders, rubbing them. He groaned softly, "Liv… that feels incredible."

Olivia kissed the back of his neck lightly, "You deserve this, baby."

"Mmm," he murmured, letting his eyes flutter closed.

Her hands travelled to the bottom of his shirt, tugging it up. He raised his arms to help her, and she dropped the shirt onto the bed. She nearly moaned when she saw him… she could see his strong muscles rippling under his smooth, tanned skin. He was so gorgeous.

Olivia moved her hands back to massage his shoulders, working out all of the kinks that she came across. Her hands moved down his back, drawing soft moans and groans from him. Elliot leaned against her, feeling exhaustion seep into his system. Knowing how tired he was, Olivia moved her leg, and laid his head gently down onto the pillow, "Get some rest, El."

He didn't argue. Olivia pulled the blanket over him, and smoothed her hand over his hair lovingly. He scooted closer to her, "Livia… come under with me."

She smiled, and nodded, sliding under the covers with him. He pulled her close, buried his face in her neck, and closed his eyes. That night, they both slept better than they had in a long time.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading, you guys. Please review and let me know what you think.


	27. Chapter 27

A/N: Here's the next chapter. Elliot and Olivia spend some time together :)

* * *

When Olivia woke up, he was still sleeping peacefully beside her. She smiled, having forgotten how adorable he was when he was sleeping. She couldn't believe that they were really together again. It made her so happy.

Elliot shifted slightly, and sighed as his eyes fluttered open slowly. A smile appeared on his face when he saw her. So, it really wasn't a dream. They really _were_ together again. She was really laying there beside him.

"Good morning," she greeted softly, smiling at him.

"Very good morning," he answered, giving her a kiss so gentle it brought tears to her eyes.

"I love you," she whispered, running her fingers over the skin of his cheek.

"I love you, too," he said, squeezing her tight.

"It's going to be warm out today," she stated, "We're not doing anything… you want to go to the beach?"

He smiled, "Sounds perfect."

An hour and a half later, they were walking along the boardwalk, hand in hand. He was wearing an orange bathing suit that he'd bought at one of the shops and a black v-neck t-shirt. She was wearing a beautiful white sundress.

"Guess what," he said softly, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her closer.

"What?" she asked as they walked onto the sand.

"I love you."

"I love you, too, El."

His heart warmed when he heard her say that… he would never get used to her telling him she loved him. He loved it… he loved her more than anything and anyone. They found an empty spot on the sand, and dropped the towel, sitting on it. He pulled her to sit between his legs, wrapping his arms around her waist. She sighed happily, leaning against his chest, "This is amazing."

His arms tightened around her, and he kissed her neck gently, "I know. I'm so happy you came, Liv."

She smiled, looking up at him, "I am, too, El," she whispered, pressing a soft, gentle kiss to his lips.

He laughed softly, and started to pull her up, "C'mon. Let's go in the water."

Olivia pulled the sundress off, and his breathing caught in his chest, "My God, Liv," he whispered, "You're… so beautiful."

She blushed slightly under his gaze, and tugged lightly on his shirt, "Off. I want to go in."

He chuckled lightly, and pulled the shirt over his head. Now, her own breathing caught in her chest, "Talk about me. Look at you."

He chuckled, linking their fingers together, "We're hot together."

She laughed as well as they walked to the water, "Conceited, much?"

He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into the ocean, "Yeah, but you love me."

"You know I do," she answered, kissing him softly.

He kissed her back more than willingly as he walked backwards deeper into the water. Suddenly, he tripped, falling backwards, and pulling her along with him. She shrieked in surprise as his head went under the water. When he came back up, he was laughing. She joined in, "You klutz. How'd you fall on sand?"

He shrugged, wiping the water off of his face as he kicked slowly, holding her to his chest, "I dunno," he answered, "But I like this better, anyway."

"Me, too," she agreed, rubbing his back lightly under the water. He sighed, and returned his lips to hers, kissing her languidly.

One of her hands went to cup his cheek, and she kept the other on his chest. He ran his hand over her back gently as they floated in the water. When they broke apart, he smiled at her, "Everything's perfect."

She smiled back, giving him one more gentle peck on the lips, "Yeah. I know."

They spent the rest of the day at the beach, swimming, and cuddling on the blanket. He took her out for dinner, and they went back to the hotel to lay in bed and cuddle some more.

The next day went by similarly. It was their last full day in California… they walked around the shops, holding hands and just having a good time with each other. They had invited Don, but the older man had politely declined, knowing that the two young adults just wanted to spend time with each other.

And the next day, they were getting on a plane to go home. The ride, which had seemed to last forever to Olivia coming out, flew by on the way back. She knew why that was… it was because of the person sitting next to her, holding her, cuddling with her. She snuggled into his chest, felt his arms around her, holding her lovingly.

"I have to go back to work tomorrow," she remembered out loud.

He sighed, "I forgot you got a job."

She smiled slightly, "Had to find something to do with myself while you were gone."

Elliot scooted closer to her, pressing his nose into her neck compassionately. She smiled at how adorable he was, and rested her cheek on his fuzzy hair. She caught Don looking at them from his seat across the aisle, smiling softly. She smiled back, and closed her eyes, drifting off to sleep.

* * *

Elliot smiled, and his heart warned when he walked into the house with Don and Olivia. He was home again… it was good to be back. Don noticed his smile, and pat him on the back, "Feel good to be back home?"

Elliot nodded, "Yeah. It feels great."

He knew that he would have to leave again in two weeks, but it was great to be here, to spend some time at home. He wouldn't be here much anymore now that he was a full-fledged Marine.

Elliot walked up the stairs, down the hall and into his bedroom, with Olivia right behind him. He dropped his bag on the floor, and collapsed onto his bed. She chuckled, sitting beside him silently. He reached out to her, "Liv… c'mere."

She smiled at him, "Okay."

She laid down beside him, and he rolled onto his side, enveloping her in his warm embrace. Her arms wrapped around him, and he sighed contentedly, "Good to be home."

They fell asleep just like that, wrapped in each other's embrace, more happy to be home than ever. Don peeked into the room a few hours later, and smiled slightly when he saw the sleeping couple, fully clothed above the covers. He didn't have the heart to wake them up, so he turned the lights off and walked into his own room to go to bed.

Olivia woke up first the next morning, and sighed when she saw Elliot sleeping beside her. She didn't want to go to work… she didn't want to have to leave him, especially when they only had a limited amount of time together. Reluctantly, she drew herself out of his embrace, sitting up. He stirred, and his eyes opened, "Liv…?"

She smiled softly at him, leaning down to kiss him, "Shh. I have to go to work. Just go back to sleep, and I'll be back this afternoon."

He nodded his head, and his eyes fluttered closed. He drifted back off to sleep easily. She pulled the blanket over him, and he sighed, curling up under the covers. Her heart melted at the sight of him, relaxed and serene. She looked at him for a minute, then went to get ready.

* * *

When Elliot woke up, he was warm. Warm, comfortable and well-rested. He sighed, rolling onto his back, deciding that he was going to be the laziest person in the world that day. He reached over to turn the radio on his night stand on, tucked his arms behind his head, and closed his eyes. It really was great to be home.

Elliot's day was spent longing around, watching TV, listening to music and sleeping. Olivia smiled when she walked into the living room after returning home from work. Elliot was laying on the couch, fast asleep. The TV remote was resting on his chest. She took it, being gentle so that she didn't wake him, and turned the TV off. His eyes fluttered open slowly, "Liv?"

She smiled softly at him, sitting on the coffee table, smoothing her hand over his hair, "Hey. Guess you had a lazy day."

He yawned, sitting up slowly, "Yeah."

Olivia chuckled softly, moving to sit next to him, "Good. Now I can be lazy with you."

He pulled her into his arms, pressing a few gentle kisses to the top of her head, "Sounds great."

She raised her head to press her lips to his. He returned the kiss eagerly, and they made out for a while.

"I love you," he breathed when they broke apart.

"I love you, too," she answered, and then their lips were together again.

She slipped her hand under his shirt to scratch his back lightly. He sighed into the kiss, letting his eyes flutter closed. God, that felt good. She smiled against his lips, knowing exactly what he was thinking.

"Feel good?" she asked softly between kisses.

"Mmm…" he answered, running his hands over her sides gently.

She leaned back against the cushions of the couch, pulling him on top of her. The kiss became passionate, and his hand slid under her shirt, rubbing her stomach lightly. They heard the door open, and Elliot flew off of her, all the way to the other side of the couch. Don walked in just after Olivia sat up. He smiled obliviously at them, "Hey, you two."

"Hi," Elliot answered.

"Hey," Olivia followed. Don walked into the kitchen, and Elliot let out a breath, "You want to go upstairs?"

"Yeah," she replied, and she took his hand as they walked up the stairs. She took a seat on the bed, watching as Elliot softly closed the door.

He sat down next to her, knowing what he wanted to say, but unable to find the words. She ran her hand over his knee gently, "So, um… about what happened downstairs…"

Elliot smiled softly at her, "It's okay, Liv. We've only been back together a few days, we can wait."

"You want to?" she asked softly. The truth was, she didn't want to wait. Being back with him now, it was like they had never been apart. She was ready. She wanted to touch him, to love him in a way that she had with no one else. She wanted to make love to him. But did he?

He hesitated, trying to read her. He was ready. He wanted to make love to her. But he didn't want to scare her off. What if she wanted to wait? Finally, he answered, "If you do."

That wasn't the answer she wanted. She needed a flat out answer. She squeezed his knee gently, "I need… I need a yes or no answer, El."

He took her hand in his, "No. I don't want to wait. I love you so much, Liv. And… I want you."

She smiled softly at him, "Me too, El," she whispered, "I don't want to wait, either."

He smiled back, and pressed his lips to hers.

"Then we will," he said against her lips, "Soon."

He gently pulled her down to lay on the mattress with him, wrapping his strong arms around her. She sighed, snuggling up against his chest comfortably. Everything was perfect.

* * *

A/N: I loved writing this :) Please review and let me know what you think about it :)


	28. Chapter 28

A/N: Hey, guys, here's Chapter 28. Elliot and Olivia take the next step in their relationship. Enjoy!

* * *

Elliot and Olivia spent a while laying on his bed, kissing, goofing around and cuddling. Don cooked up steaks on the grill in the backyard and they all sat down to eat, but halfway through the meal, a phone call pulled Don away from the table.

"Sorry, guys," he began as he hung up the phone, "I have to go down to the station."

"It's okay," Elliot answered, swallowing a piece of meat, "We can clean up, right Liv?"

"Sure," Olivia stated.

"Alright. I won't be home until tomorrow," Don said, pulling on his jacket, "Good night."

"Night," they both answered, and then he was out the door.

The couple finished eating quickly, and Olivia was at the sink, finishing the dishes, when Elliot wrapped his arms around her waist, placing a few gentle kisses to her neck. She smiled, turning to face him in his arms, "Hey."

"Hi," he murmured, and then his lips were on hers. The kiss was gentle at first, but it turned passionate quickly.

"Don's not gonna be home until tomorrow," he whispered, playing with the fabric at the bottom of her shirt.

Olivia smiled, and nodded, taking his hand in hers. She guided him up to the bedroom, closed the door, and kissed him again. He returned it, running his hands down her body, squeezing her ass gently. They both laughed softly against each other's lips, and she moved her hands to the bottom of his shirt, pulling up. He broke away from her, and raised his arms so she could get the material over his head. Then their lips were together again. She ran her hands over the strong muscles of his chest and abs, causing him to shiver slightly.

"You're so gorgeous," she whispered.

He laughed softly, "I'm the one that's supposed to be complimenting you."

She laughed as well, "It's okay. I like complimenting you, too."

He nodded, and moved his hands to pull her shirt over her head. His breathing caught in his chest. She was beautiful, "You're pretty gorgeous yourself, Ms. Benson."

He didn't give her time to respond. Instead, he kissed her, and pulled her body against his. She moaned softly when his hand moved to cup her breast gently in his hand. She backed up to the bed, and fell onto it, pulling him on top of her. She slowly moved her hand from his back to cup him gently through his sweatpants. His breathing hitched as she rubbed him, god that felt good.

She moved her hand, slipping it into his boxers and wrapping it around his hardened member.

"Liv," he breathed, "God…"

She laughed softly, and pushed both his pants and boxers down off of his hips. He wriggled the rest of the way out of them, pushing them off the bed with his foot. He moved a hand to pull on the waistband of her pants, "Off."

Olivia laughed softly, and did as he requested, pushing them off and tossing them to the floor. He grinned, and pulled the blanket over them, leaning down to kiss her.

They took their time touching each other, exploring each other's bodies. When Elliot pushed into her, he was slow, making sure not to hurt her. The rest of their lovemaking was beautiful and loving. They climaxed together, at the same time, and he collapsed on the mattress next to her. He was sweaty and his body was trembling.

She turned on her side, and pulled him close, "That was…"

"Amazing," he finished, gaining the strength to wrap his arms around her, "So amazing."

"Yeah," she agreed.

"Was that…?" he asked softly. He hadn't meant to ask… but he needed to know.

She framed his face with both of her hands, and kissed him softly, "Only you, El. No one else, only you."

Elliot smiled softy, and pulled her closer, "I love you."

"I love you, too."

He sighed happily, wrapping the blanket around them both.

Her fingers went to grasp the Marine dog tags that were resting against his chest, "I'm glad you're doing this. I'm proud of you. But god, I don't want you to go."

"I know," he answered, running his hand over her bare, warm back, "But I have to."

She gave a small nod, pursing her lips, "Just make sure you come back come to me, El. I don't think I could lose you right after I got you back."

"You won't lose me," Elliot told her, "You won't."

She nodded against his chest, and he sighed. He may have just lied to her.

"Night, Livia," he whispered, and closed his eyes, cuddling closer to her. They both drifted off easily.

* * *

The alarm clock woke Olivia early the next morning. She reached over and turned it off. Her heart warmed when she looked at Elliot, still sleeping peacefully next to her. The blanket was wrapped around his chest, showing off the smooth skin and muscles of his shoulders. There was light morning stubble on his cheeks. He was so gorgeous… she couldn't leave him like she had to the morning before. She had to stay there with him.

So she picked up the phone on his nightstand, called in sick, and cuddled back into him. He sighed in his sleep, and tightened his arms around her. She smiled, and closed her eyes, drifting back to sleep.

When she woke again, his eyes were open, and he was running his thumb over her cheekbone gently, "Good morning."

She smiled, her hand running lightly down his back, "Morning."

He sighed contently, stretching out on the bed, "I feel incredible."

She chuckled, "Yeah, me too. I love you."

"I love you, too," he answered, rolling on top of her.

She giggled, running a hand through his hair, "Hi."

"Hey," he replied, and kissed her gently. She sighed into his lips… she felt at home. Him, kissing her, feeling his body over hers.

They made love for the second time that morning. Elliot collapsed next to her after they had finished, and pulled her close to him.

"How 'bout a nice, hot shower?" he suggested after they had both calmed down.

"Sounds incredible," she whispered in reply.

He smiled, and got up, pulling her along with him. He guided her into the bathroom, and turned on the water, waiting until it was hot before pulling her under the spray. They washed each other slowly and lovingly then dressed each other in as little clothing as possible. For the rest of the day, they lounged around the house, watching movies, making out and messing around.

When Don walked into the living room, exhausted, a small smile crossed his lips. The young couple was cuddled up to each other on the couch, fast asleep. He shook Elliot's shoulder gently, and the younger man stirred, opening his eyes slowly. Cragen smiled softly at him, "Hey. You fell asleep, I wanted to wake you up before I go to bed."

"Okay," Elliot answered sleepily, "Night."

"Night," Don answered, and headed up the stairs.

Elliot yawned, and moved so he could pick Olivia up. He started up the stairs, trying to be gentle so he wouldn't wake her.

"El?" she whispered, snuggling into his chest.

"Shh," he answered, "We fell asleep."

He laid her down on the bed, and tucked her in before climbing in himself. She cuddled up next to him, and he smiled, wrapping his arms around her. He closed his eyes, and they both drifted back to sleep.

* * *

A/N: Sorry about the short chapter. I just thought that this would be a good place to end. Please review and let me know what you think and if I should continue!


	29. Chapter 29

A/N: Here's the next chapter, guys. Enjoy.

* * *

Twelve days passed much too quickly for Elliot, Olivia and Don. Olivia took most of those days off, wanting to spend as much time with her boyfriend as she could. They mostly stayed at home, spending quality alone time together. Two days before Elliot had to leave, Don took some time to take him out to lunch. They went to a local diner near the precinct, and Elliot remembered it as the one that he and the detective had gone to that morning when he was sixteen, right after he had told Don about his father.

"Haven't got to talk to you much these past two weeks," Don stated, taking a sip of his drink, "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine," Elliot answered, taking a bite of one of his fries, "Glad to be back home with you and Olivia."

The detective smiled, nodding his head, "So I'm guessing you're not looking forward to leaving again."

Elliot shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know. I mean… yeah, I won't be happy to leave you guys, but… this is who I am now, you know? I like doing it, I like… being a Marine."

"I get it," Don said, "You're a good man, Elliot. I'm proud of you."

He smiled at Don's words, "Thanks, Dad. You don't know ho much that means to me."

The detective reached over to squeeze Elliot's shoulder, smiling back, "I think I have an idea."

They finished eating, and Elliot headed back to the house, while Don went back to the station to finish off the day.

* * *

The next thing Elliot he knew, he was dressing in his green and khaki-colored service uniform. Olivia walked into the bedroom, and wrapped her arms around his waist. She pressed a kiss to the back of his neck, "You look so handsome."

He smiled, turning so he could return her embrace, "Thanks."

She framed his face with her hands, and kissed him softly, "I'll miss you…"

"I know," he answered, "I'll miss you, too, Liv."

They kissed again, and Elliot sighed softly, "We should go."

Olivia nodded, not wanting to release him, "Yeah…"

He picked up his cap off of his dresser, and held her hand as they walked down the stairs together. Don was sitting at the table in the kitchen, waiting for them. His heart warmed when he saw Elliot… he'd come a long way. He could see the sixteen year old boy, the pain in his eyes, the turmoil, the fear that he was giving up everything that he had ever known. But now he was a man. His eyes no longer held the pain and turmoil that they held before. Instead, the detective saw self-discipline, confidence… everything that he hoped to see and more. He had told Elliot already… but he was so proud.

"Ready?" he asked, standing.

Elliot looked at Olivia, and nodded, "Yeah. I think so."

They walked out to the car together. Elliot took a seat in front next to Don, and played idly with his cap. Don glanced at him, "How're you feeling?"

He nodded, keeping his eyes straight ahead, "Good."

"That's good," the older man stated.

The ride was mostly silent after that. Don parked in the parking lot at JFK, and Elliot sighed softly as he got out, pulling his cap over his head. Olivia got out as well, and slipped her hand into his as they walked towards the building. They went through security, and sat in the terminal, the three of them. Olivia cuddled close to him, and he wrapped his arm around her, pressing gentle kisses to her temple. She looked up at him, and smiled slightly before letting her lips meet his.

"Mmm…" he murmured, smiling back at her before kissing again.

Her arms tightened around him when they heard a female voice over the intercom, calling his flight number, announcing that the plane was now boarding. He sighed, rubbing his hand over her back, "I have to go…"

"I know," she whispered, and released him reluctantly.

All three of them stood, and Don gave Elliot a fatherly hug, "Good luck, Elliot."

"Thanks," the younger man answered.

Next, he turned to Olivia. His arms wrapped tightly around her, and she hugged him back, "I'll miss you, El…"

"I'll miss you, too," he answered softly, "I love you."

"I love you, too," she said, raising her head to kiss him again. When she went to pull away, he pulled her back, kissing her for all he was worth. She grasped the back of his head, keeping him as close as possible as she returned his desperate kiss. But finally, he had to pull away, "Goodbye, El."

"See you soon," he answered, and looked at her for several seconds before he turned away, walking through the gate. Don rubbed her back lightly, "He'll be back, Olivia."

She nodded her head, wiping away the few tears that had formed in her eyes, "Y-yeah. I…I hope so."

Elliot's plane took off a while later, and Don and Olivia headed back home.

* * *

Olivia grabbed the mail from the mailbox, and flipped through it as she walked into the house. Don had told her that she could stay at the house for as long as she wanted, even when Elliot was gone. She was thankful for that… Don was good to her. She looked up from the stack of mail to open the door, and when she looked back down at the letter on the top, she saw familiar handwriting on the envelope. She had seen it so many times before.

She dropped the rest of the mail, and tore open the envelope.

_August 1st  
Liv, _

_It's only been a few days, but I miss you a lot. Training has been hard here… long hours, short breaks. I would have written sooner, but I haven't had the time. They're really pushing us. Getting us ready for war, I guess. That's why we're here, after all. You'd love some of the things I'm learning down here, though. All sorts of martial arts training. It's pretty fun putting people on their asses. I hope you and Don are doing alright together. He's always been good to me, I think he'll be good to you, too. Tell him I miss him, will ya? Well, it's getting late, and I'm exhausted. I miss you, and I can't wait to see you again._

_El  
_

Olivia smiled widely, and held the piece of paper to her chest as she thought about him. She was so happy that he had written to her. It was the closest contact they would have for a while. She walked into the kitchen, grabbed some paper, and started writing…

_August 7__th  
El,_

_I'm really happy that you found the time to write. I miss you, too; more than I've ever missed anyone. I can't wait to be in your arms again. I know you'll do well down there, El. Martial arts training, huh? You're right, I would like that. Don's letting me stay at the house. It's not the same without you, though. I've just been going to work every day. Pretty boring, huh? I miss you, too, and I love you. Work hard._

_Liv_

_August 12th  
Liv,_

_I'm glad that you're staying with Don. Like I said, he's a good man. I hope he's doing well. I hope you're doing well, too. Training was long today… one of our men was shot in an accident today. He's in the infirmary, doctors say he'll be okay. Makes you kind of think about your mortality, you know? It's only training, but people can still get hurt. Anyway, how's work going? Good, I hope. There's nothing worse than having a job that you hate. Except, maybe, not having a job. I love you, and I miss you._

_August 19  
El,_

_Don_ _says hi, and that he misses you. It's funny… he's kind of, like, lost without you. You know what I mean? You were living here for two years, and now you're gone. It's kind of funny. Someone got shot? Wow… please be careful. I don't want you to get hurt, and I know you don't want yourself to get hurt. But anyway, I have great news! I was accepted to Hudson University. I'm going there for the Criminal Justice program. That way, when you get out of the Marines, we can go to the Police Academy together, if you want. Love you._

_Liv_

_August 25  
Liv,_

_Congratulations! I'm proud of you. Police Academy together sounds great, I can't wait. I do know what you mean about Don. It's strange waking up and not seeing him. It's strange not seeing you, too. Still training hard and learning a lot. Have fun in college, and work hard! No crazy college parties for you. It's been a long day, so I'll stop here. I love you._

_El_

_August 28  
El,_

_Have you ever known me to be the type of girl to party? Of course I'll work hard. You better do the same, yourself there, mister. You better come back safe to me. I don't think I'm going to move into the school anyways… I have a job, I can help out Don. I think he'd be too lonely without someone here. Speaking of Don, there's good news with him, too. Captain Schuler retired, and he got promoted to captain. Can you believe that? Captain Cragen. Sounds kind of funny, you think? Anyway, how are you doing over there, Mr. Marine?_

_Liv_

_September 7th  
Liv,_

_I know you're not going to party. I was just joking with you. I'm working very hard. You'll get me back, I promise. That's a good plan, staying with Don. I'm sure he loves you being there with him, and yes I think he'd be too lonely. Ha ha. I'm doing alright, just missing you. Don, as captain? Tell him congratulations for me. That's great. And yeah, it does sound kind of funny. Captain Cragen. Love you._

_El_

_September 13th  
El,_

_You're adorable. I miss you, too, of course. I stole your blue sweatshirt, I hope you don't mind. It's really comfy, and it still smells like you. You smell so damn good, you know that? Don says thank you, and he hopes that you're doing well. He's been pretty busy now, being captain and all. I started classes a few days ago… it's a lot different from high school. You'd like it, I think. I have a lot of things to do, though, so that's the worst part. Hope you write again soon._

_Liv_

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading, guys. Hope you liked it. Tell me if I should continue by reviewing. Next, more letters, and some action.


	30. Chapter 30

A/N: Here's the next chapter, guys. Sorry for such a long wait.

_September 24__th  
__Liv,_

_Sorry it took so long to write back. I've been busier than usual. Of course I don't mind, you can take anything that you want. I won't need any of it, anyway. Not now, at least. Keep them warm until I get back. How's college going? Good, I hope. Training has been the same as usual. I'm still working hard, and I miss you._

_El_

_October 2__nd  
__El, _

_It's okay, I know that you've been busy. Don't worry, I'll keep everything warm for you. Classes have been okay, but they'd be better if you were here. I'm glad you've been working hard, you keep going. Don wanted me to tell you hello, by the way. He's just as busy as ever. I love you, I miss you, and I can't wait to be with you again._

_Liv_

_October 12__th  
__Liv, _

_You know I will. Things have been slowing down a little bit here. The training is almost over. I'll be stationed somewhere else soon. Tell Don I said hi, and tell him that I miss him, too. I'm sorry that this is so short, but I have to get going. I love you, and I promise I'll write again soon. I love you._

_El_

_October 20__th  
__El, _

_Happy birthday! How does it feel to be nineteen? Wish I could give you a birthday kiss. But a birthday letter will have to do. Everything is fine here, and I understand your last letter. I'm just glad that you have a chance to write at all. Everything's going well here. I told Don what you asked me to, he just smiled and said that he misses you, too. I love you, El, and I hope to see you soon._

_Liv_

_October 24__th  
__Liv, _

_Thanks. It feels like just another year gone by. I wish you could give me birthday kiss, too, but your letter was great. I'm glad everything's okay up there. Training's ended, and I know that I told you I'd probably have some time to come home, but plans have changed. We're being sent overseas to fight in a few days. I'm not sure how long it will be before I come back, or how often I'll be able to write to you… if I get to at all. I love you so much, Liv, more than I think I've loved anyone. You're the best thing that has ever happened to me. _

_El_

Olivia's heart sunk into the pit of her stomach. He was going to fight, with real people shooting at him, trying to kill him. She sighed shakily… she knew that this was going to happen, he was a Marine, of course he would fight. That's what he was training for. She picked up a pen, and started to write.

_October 27__th  
__El, _

_I knew that this was going to happen… I guess I just hoped that you'd stay in Carolina for your whole tour. I put a picture of us in the envelope with this letter. I want you to keep it with you. I have the same one with me. Make sure you stay safe. You better come home safe to me, El. I love you, too, just as much as you love me. I miss you. Write to me whenever you can._

_Liv_

Elliot smiled slightly, and carefully folded the piece of paper back up. He reached into the envelope, and took out the picture with one of his calloused hands.

"I'll come back to you, Liv," he promised quietly, "I promise."

He put the letter and the picture away, and turned on his side, drifting off to sleep in his bunk.

Don walked into the house, and dropped his coat onto over one of the chairs. When he entered the living room, he saw Olivia, sitting on the couch, holding a piece of paper.

"Olivia?" he asked softly, "What's up?"

"He's being sent overseas," she whispered, "To… to fight…"

He sighed, and sat down next to her on the couch, "You know he was going to eventually."

"I know, but…" she swallowed, "What if he gets hurt? What if… what if he…"

She couldn't finish that thought. But he understood. He brought his hand to her back, "You know that he'll do whatever he can to make sure he comes home safe."

"I know," Olivia whispered, "But… what if it's not enough?"

He couldn't think of an answer for her. He was worried about Elliot, too. But Don knew that he was a good man, fighting for his country. He knew that he couldn't have asked for a better son.

_November 17__th  
__Liv, _

_Things have been going well here. You'll be happy to know that there hasn't been a lot of fighting so far. It's hot in the desert… it reminds me of going through the crucible during basic training. Thank you for the picture; I keep it in the pocket of my uniform, and every night I take it out and I think of you. It's so different out here, Liv, you wouldn't believe it. Nothing like New York. I'll come home safe to you Liv, I promise. I miss you so much and I love you. I'll write again as soon as I can._

_El_

_November 26__th  
__El, _

_I'm so glad that you found the time to write. It's good that you haven't had to fight that much , less chance that you get hurt. I don't want you to get hurt, El. Take care of yourself and stay safe for me. I'm glad that you like the picture. It's my favorite one of the two of us. I miss you too, and I love you. Write whenever you can._

_Liv_

Elliot smiled softly at the words in her letter, and his hand went to the breast pocket of his uniform. When his hand came out, he was holding the picture that she was talking about. He looked at it for several seconds as he thought about her. He thought about her warm smile and beautiful eyes. How good he felt when he was holding her, and kissing her. He couldn't wait to do that with her again. He kissed the photo, and put it back in its place. Rolling on his side, he tried to get comfortable, and went to sleep.

Time dragged on slowly. Olivia went to school and worked part time. Elliot continued his tour overseas. There was more fighting, more missions, and he had less and less time to write. She got few letters from him, and when she did, they were short. She understood, though. She knew that he was putting all his energy into fighting and staying safe. But she still wrote to him, every chance that she got. Soon, another birthday rolled around for him, and he was twenty.

It was mid November. Elliot walked out of one of the tents into the hot, dry desert air. His helmet was lop-sided on his head and the sleeves of his fatigues were rolled up to his biceps.

Suddenly, he heard his name, "Stabler!"

Elliot turned automatically, and saw his captain approaching, "Get ready to go."

"What's going on, Cap?" he asked.

"We're moving out," the captain answered, "We have to go. There were reports of military insurgents three klicks south of here."

The young Marine grabbed his gun, and followed his superior to one of the humvees. He clipped his chinstrap, adjusting his helmet as he felt the familiar butterflies in his stomach. He always felt them at a start of a mission. The humvee started moving, following the other one that was leaving the camp.

They were travelling for only a little while when there was a sudden flurry of explosions and gunshots. Elliot raised his gun immediately, looking around frantically. Suddenly, there was a searing pain in his shoulder, and his weapon fell out of his hands as he stumbled backwards. More pain washed over him as the truck exploded suddenly, throwing him off. Everything went black as he hit the hot, dry sand.

* * *

A/N: Oh, no. Will he be okay? Review to find out!


	31. Chapter 31

A/N: Hey, guys. Here's Chapter 31. What happened to Elliot? Will he be okay?

* * *

Elliot's eyes opened slowly, and a groan of pain escaped his lips. His whole body was burning. Slowly, he raised his head, and saw the destroyed, burning humvees in front of him. He saw no signs of life. His gaze lowered to his pulsing shoulder; it was bleeding heavily. It hurt to even keep his head up, so he lowered it back onto the sand.

They were all dead. Gone. He squeezed his eyes shut, both mental and physical pain ripping through him. Those men… they had become his brothers over the past year. Now they were gone. And he was about to die as well. There was no hope, he was wounded. Shot, and he was pretty sure that he had a few broken bones. So he just laid there, waiting for death to come.

Suddenly, a picture of Olivia burst into his mind, and he remembered the promise that he had made. He had to make it home, for her. He pushed his pack out from under him, and reached into it, pulling out his small first aid kit. He pulled his uniform up off of his injured shoulder, wincing when he saw the blood. Taking a patch of gauze, he pressed it against his wound, flinching in pain. He used his teeth to rip off pieces of medical tape, and taped himself up as best he could.

Next, he took out another packet, and ripped it open. A syringe fell into his hands, and he drew up the pain reliever that another Marine usually would have given him in this situation. He injected the needle into his arm, and dropped the needle back into his pack. He sighed in pain, and laid his head back down, waiting for some of it to ease.

He sat up slowly, and winced, feeling his muscles ache. He breathed deeply, staring at his boots, trying to gain as much energy as he could. Then, he stood. Reaching into his pack, he grabbed his canteen and took a drink. His hand went into his breast pocket, and pulled out the picture. It was singed slightly now from the explosion, but he could still see t clearly. He stared at it for a second, placing it back in its place, and then started walking.

It took only a few minutes for him to get tired. But he didn't stop. If he did, if he allowed himself a few minutes of rest, then he knew that he would die. He wasn't going to let that happen. He was going to make it home safe, just like he promised.

But his body was thinking otherwise. His feet were getting heavy. It took all of his depleting energy to stay standing. He raised his canteen to his lips, and took a drink. Frowning, he realized that it was almost empty. Elliot sighed, and continued walking. He was starting to get dizzy… walking was becoming increasingly difficult.

He went on for several more minute, until he couldn't go on any longer. He collapsed painfully onto the sand, and coughed weakly. He was so tired… he just wanted to sleep. He mind was growing hazy from blood loss. The hot sun was beating down on him. He reached for his canteen, and finished off his water.

He knew that he couldn't give up now. So he got up ever so slowly, and started walking again. He didn't know how long it had been before he was thirsty again. But he had no more water… he cursed himself silently for not filling his canteen all the way before he left the base. Now he was going to pay for it. Sighing, he dropped the container to the sand and kept walking.

Walking got harder and harder as the minutes dragged on. He got more and more tired, his vision got blurry, and his throat grew dry. His steps grew into stumbles. Finally, he saw the blurry silhouette of the base. He was almost there.

"Stabler?" Sergeant Jones called, jogging towards him.

"Sarge," Elliot answered in a raspy voice.

His knees buckled from underneath him, and Jones caught him, "It's okay, you'll be alright. What happened?"

"I-IED," he said weakly as the sergeant slung Elliot's arm over his shoulder, supporting him as he walked both of them into the base, "H-hit the humvees… they're all gone…"

"Shit," Jones muttered as he walked him into the medical tent.

Then he was laying on a cot. There was a medic over him, and his eyes drifted closed without his consent. He knew no more.

* * *

Don and Olivia were sitting silently at the kitchen table, eating dinner when the phone rang.

"I'll get it," Don said, and got up, picking up the phone, "Hello?"

Olivia watched curiously as Don's eyebrows raised, and his eyes widened as the person on the other end of the line spoke.

"Who was it?" she asked when he hung up, "What's going on?"

"It's Elliot," Don said softly as he made his way back to sit down at the table. His expression was solemn as he looked down at the grain of the tabletop.

"W-what happened?" she asked, feeling tears prickle at her eyes, "Is he…?"

"No, no," Cragen said quietly, looking up at her, knowing what she was thinking, "He's… he's alive. But… he's hurt, Olivia."

"Where is he?" she asked, feeling slightly relieved, "Can we go see him?"

Don nodded his head, "He's right here in Manhattan. We have to make a stop first, though."

* * *

Everything was black. He knew that he was laying down… he was comfortable. Or, well, more comfortable than he had been in a while. He felt pain, but it wasn't the burning, intense pain that he had felt before. Someone was gripping his hand tightly, and there was another hand resting on his forehead. He opened his eyes slowly, and the first thing that he saw was Olivia's beautiful face looking down at him. A small, weak smile crossed his lips, "Liv…"

Olivia looked down at him, and smiled back, moving her hand from his forehead down to his stubbly, slightly bearded cheek, "Hey, El."

His eyes went from her to the man sitting on the other side of him, who smiled as well, "Welcome home."

"Thanks, Dad," he rasped, and coughed weakly.

Olivia reached for the cup of water on the table, and held it to his lips. Elliot drank it thirstily. When she pulled it away, his gaze went to the person that was sitting next to the older man. Just looking at her made his eyes moisten, "Mom… you're…"

Bernie squeezed his hand gently, "I'm here, Elliot."

"But how?" he asked. Last time he saw her, she was sitting in a mental institution. He was so happy to see her outside those walls.

"Don't you worry about that right now," she told him gently, "You just worry about yourself right now."

His weak smile grew a little wider, "When did you guys get here?"

"A little while ago," Don answered.

Elliot nodded. It felt good to be home… he was hurt, but it was worth seeing his family again. He was home, in Manhattan.

The door opened, and a doctor stepped inside, "Welcome back, Corporal."

"Thanks," Elliot answered, "So… how am I?"

"Well, when you came in you were severely dehydrated, there was some major blood loss and minor burns. We pumped you with fluids, stitched up your shoulder, and got you a blood transfusion. It'll take a bit of recovery time, but you'll be back on the battlefield soon," the doctor explained, "I'm recommending three weeks' leave once we're ready to release you. And bed rest. You had a bunch of bumps and bruises; you'll be aching for a couple of weeks."

Elliot nodded his head, "Thanks."

The doctor nodded, "Not a problem. I'll be by to check up on you in a while." And then he was gone.

"You have to go back there?" Olivia asked softly.

The Marine looked at her, and nodded, "Not serious enough to get discharged, I guess."

Olivia sighed inwardly. She just got him back, and now he was just going to have to leave him? It didn't seem fair… but she knew that this was what he had to do.

"I'm going to go get some coffee," Don said softly, knowing that the couple wanted just a few minutes to themselves, "Bernie, would you like to come?"

Bernie nodded, "Of course," she leaned over to press a kiss to Elliot's forehead, "We'll be back."

Elliot waited until they both walked out, and pulled lightly on Olivia's hand, "Liv… c'mere."

Knowing what he wanted, she carefully slid into the small bed next to him, mindful of his wounds, "Better?"

He nodded his head, pressing his nose into her neck, taking a deep, relaxed breath. She wrapped her arms around him, making sure not to disturb his wounds, and gently pulled him even closer, "I missed you so much, baby."

"I know," he whispered, "I missed you, too. I love you."

She pulled away slightly, and kissed him softly on the lips, "I love you."

He smiled, and pulled her into another kiss. This one was longer, more passionate, and it warmed both of their hearts. When they broke apart, his smile grew wider, and she returned it, running a hand through his short, close-cropped hair. He looked exhausted, she realized.

"Get some rest, El," she said softly, "You look so tired."

He nodded, and let his eyes flutter closed. She gently pulled his head to her chest, and closed her own eyes, so happy to be holding him again.

When Don and Bernie walked back into the hospital room, they saw Elliot and Olivia, curled up, sleeping in the bed together. Don smiled, and gently pulled Bernie back out of the room, softly closing the door behind him.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading. Review and let me know what you think!


	32. Chapter 32

A/N: Hey, guys. Kind of disappointed about the lack of feedback last chapter Anyway, here's chapter 32. Hope you enjoy.

* * *

Bernie sat next to the hospital bed, smiling slightly as she watched her son sleep. Her twenty-year old, Marine son. She was so, so proud of him. He had turned out better than she had ever hoped. She wasn't quite sure how had turned out so good, but she was glad that he had.

Don had dragged Olivia home a little while before to get some rest and a proper meal. The detective knew that Bernie just wanted to spend some alone time with her son. She was happy that he had allowed her that.

Elliot stirred slightly in bed, breaking Bernie out of her thoughts. His eyes fluttered opened slowly, and she smiled softly at him, "Well, good morning."

He smiled back, "Hi, mom."

"How are you feeling?" she asked, touching the side of his face gently.

He shrugged his shoulders, "Been better," he answered, "But I've also been worse."

She nodded, "Yeah. You have, haven't you?"

He took her hand, and squeezed it gently, looking at her intently, "I'm happy you're here, mom. Really, I am."

"Me too, Elliot," she answered softly, "Glad I get to see my son, all grown up."

Elliot chuckled lightly, shifting in the bed, "I think I've been like this for a while, Mom."

She shook her head thoughtfully, "No. You've changed."

He looked at her; eyebrows furrowed, and then whispered, "You think?"

"Yes," Bernie answered.

Elliot nodded his head slowly, and shrugged, "Being in the desert, fighting… I guess it just kind of opened my eyes. After being out there, seeing what the kids go through there… makes my childhood look like a walk in the park. You know?"

She nodded her head, and he continued, "I…I should hate Joe for what he did to me. But if it weren't for him, I probably wouldn't be who I am today," he took a deep breath, "I don't… I don't know how to feel…"

Bernie ran a hand through his hair lightly, and smiled reassuringly at him, "You just have to trust yourself, sweetheart. Whatever you think is right, you should do that. And whatever you choose, I'll be here for you, just like I always am."

Elliot nodded his head, his lips turning upward slightly, "Thanks, mom."

"That's what I'm here for," she answered, "Close your eyes, now. It's late; you should get some rest so you can get better."

"Okay," he whispered, and his eyes closed. He was asleep in minutes.

* * *

Elliot spent three and a half days in the hospital. Olivia, Don and Bernie took turns spending time with him, though none of them wanted to leave him, especially Olivia. Whenever she was there, she would climb into the bed with him, hold him close, and he would tell her about his time in the desert, fighting. She would listen to him, mesmerized by his stories. He would talk until he was exhausted, and she would tell him to close his eyes and rest.

He was granted three weeks leave to recover, and when he was released, he went back home with Don and Olivia. Elliot smiled when he walked into the house… it hadn't changed a bit. Then again, he truly wasn't gone for all that long. It just seemed that way… because he truly had changed. He had grown.

Olivia's hand ran lightly down his back, "El? Are you okay?"

He looked at her, and nodded, "Yeah. I'm fine."

"I have to go to the precinct," Don said softly, "I already took too much time off. I'll see you two tonight."

"See you," Olivia answered.

Don smiled at the two of them, pat Elliot on the shoulder, and made his way out. Olivia's arm slithered around his waist, "C'mon, El."

She guided him up the stairs slowly, and into his bedroom, where she tucked him under the blankets before climbing into the bed herself. He cuddled close to her, and sighed contently, "I love you, Liv."

"I love you, too, El," she answered, smiling down at him as her arms tightened around him.

He touched her cheek gently, and whispered, "I'm sorry."

"For what?" she asked.

He shrugged his good shoulder, "For having to leave you like this. Twice."

She leaned down, and pressed a kiss to him lips, "Don't you ever apologize for serving this country, El. I'm so proud of you for doing it. I love you, I can wait for you."

He swallowed, and nodded slowly, "I'm glad."

She smiled, and nodded as well. He snuggled further into her, closing his tired eyes. With her hand running gently though his hair, he drifted off to sleep. Olivia smiled, shifted carefully, getting comfortable. She fell asleep as well.

Elliot opened his eyes slowly, and his lips turned upward when he saw Olivia, smiling warmly at him, "Hi," she greeted softly.

"Hey," he answered, leaning in to press a gentle kiss to her lips.

Her smile grew wider, and she pulled him closer to her, "I missed this…"

He smiled back, "What?" He knew what she was talking about; he just wanted to hear her say it.

"Just laying here with you," she answered, knowing exactly what he was thinking, "Waking up next to you."

"Me, too, Liv," he answered, kissing her again, "I love you."

"I love you, too," she whispered, and they fell into a comfortable silence.

"You must be hungry," she said quietly a few minutes later.

He shrugged his shoulders, "Maybe a little…"

She smiled at him, "Okay. Come on."

They got up, and walked down the stairs together. She kept her arm firmly wrapped around him as they walked, and sat him down on one of the chairs in the kitchen. She made him some toast with butter, cinnamon and sugar, one of his favorites, and set the plate down in front of him. She sat down next to him as he took a bite. He dropped his forehead against hers, "Thanks…"

"You're welcome," she answered, pressing a short kiss to his lips, "Now, eat."

He nodded, and turned back to his plate. She stayed close to him, rubbed the back of his neck gently and kissed him. He finished, and scooted as close to her as he could. She smiled, "C'mon. Let's go back to bed."

He nodded, and they went back up to his bedroom, laying back down in his bed. He snuggled close to her, and closed his eyes, drifting back off to sleep.

* * *

Elliot got out of his truck, the truck that Don had taken care of for him while he was overseas, and adjusted his service uniform as he walked up to the front door. He knocked on it, stepping back, waiting. The door opened, and he smiled when he saw the woman standing in the doorway.

"Hi, Mrs. Tutuola," he said.

"Elliot," she greeted, reaching out to grasp his shoulders in her hands, "Look at you."

He smiled as she pulled him into a hug, "How are you?"

"Good," she answered, "Come in. Fin will be home in a little while, he just went out."

"Thank you," Elliot said, taking his cap off as he walked into the house. They stepped into the living room, and sat down.

"Fin told me that you went into the service," she stated, "That's wonderful."

Elliot's lips turned upward as he nodded his head, "I want to thank you."

"Thank me for what?" she asked, crossing her legs as she looked intently at him. He looked different then the last time that she saw him… he looked grown up.

"For what you did for me," he answered, "That night I knocked on your door four years ago."

Mrs. Tutuola smiled, "You don't have to thank me for that. You were in trouble and you needed help. My son thinks of you as a brother. You know that, don't you?"

Elliot nodded his head, "Of course. I feel the same way."

They heard the door open and close, and then Fin's voice, "Mom, I'm… Elliot?"

The Marine looked up, and saw Fin in the doorway. He stood, smiling, "Hey, Fin."

The other man walked further into the room, and they met in a brotherly hug, "How are you doin', man? How's the Marines going?"

"Pretty good," he stated, "I'm on medical leave for another couple days."

"Medical leave?" Mrs. Tutuola asked, "You're hurt?"

Elliot shrugged, "I was in the hospital for a few days. I'm fine now, though," he turned to Fin, "What do you say? Want to go grab some lunch?"

"Sure," Fin answered, and turned to his mother, "I'll be back later."

"Okay," she replied, "It was nice seeing you again, Elliot. You be careful out there, okay?"

"I will," Elliot said, "It was good seeing you, too, Mrs. Tutuola."

Then the two friends walked out together. They got into Elliot's truck, and he backed out of the driveway.

"How's college going?" Elliot asked, glancing at his friend as he drove.

"Alright," Fin answered as he leaned back in the seat, "Gotta deal with Munch's bony ass, but alright."

Elliot chuckled lightly along with his friend, "Come on. Can't be that bad."

"Well, nothin' compared to what you have to deal with everyday," he stated, "Don't know how you do it, man."

Elliot pulled into a parking space in front of a diner, and looked at his friend, "The first month was the worst. You know, being shot at every other day, sleeping on sand. Well, I can't really say sleep, because that first month I don't think I did. It got a little better after that, though. I learned how to sleep lightly. Getting shot at, well, that's another story."

Fin chuckled as they got out of the truck and walked into the diner. They were seated, and Elliot placed his cap on the end of the table. Fin opened his menu, and looked through it, "So, how's it going with Olivia?"

"Great," he answered, smiling at the thought of her, "We're closer than we've ever been."

"So I shouldn't be expecting a break up anytime soon," he said as their waitress placed their drinks on the table, Cokes for both of them. They ordered, and the waitress was off again.

Elliot shook his head as he took a sip of his drink, "No, man. I think… I think she's the one."

"Damn," Fin said, "How long have you two been dating, four years?"

Elliot nodded, "I know what you're thinking. We're young, but I know how I feel. I don't want to play the field; I don't want to hook up with random girls. I'm with the one that I want."

"I'm happy for you, man," he answered, "Yeah, I think you should maybe play the field a little bit, but if you're happy with Olivia, that's what matters. Besides, now you can play my wingman."

Elliot laughed, "Well, I can't do anything until I finish my tour."

Their meals came, and they started to eat. When the bill came, Elliot was the fastest. He took out his wallet, "Don't worry about it. Money in college is a bitch; I'll take care of it."

"Thanks, man," Fin answered.

Elliot shook his head as he placed the cash on the table and they both stood, "No problem."

They walked out of the diner, and got into his truck. He drove him back to his house, said goodbye, and headed home himself.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading. Please review and let me know what you think about it, and also to let me know if you're reading. If I don't think anyone is reading, I'll just stop posting.


	33. Chapter 33

A/N: I know, I haven't updated this one in a long time. But here's the next chapter, hope you enjoy!

* * *

Don walked into the coffee shop near the 1-6, and spotted Bernie, sitting at a table, waiting for him. He sat down across from her, "Hi, Bernie."

"Don," she answered, sipping at her coffee.

"How are you doing?" he asked.

"Not bad," she answered, "Little worried about Elliot. He's leaving again tomorrow, isn't he?"

Don nodded his head, "Yes, he is. Don't worry about him, though, Bernie. He's pretty tough, he'll be fine."

"A bullet will kill you, no matter how tough you are," she told him, taking another sip of her drink.

Don reached across the table to squeeze her shoulder gently, "Don't think about that. It'll just drive you crazy. Trust me, I know."

Bernie nodded her head, "I want to thank you. For taking such good care of him. I'm glad he found someone like you."

Don nodded his head, smiling at her, "It was my pleasure to have him. He's a very good man. Not very many people turn out so good after they're abused like he was."

She looked down into her cup, "I feel so… guilty after what Joe did to him. He didn't deserve that kind of pain."

"I know," Don said, "Trust me, I know. But it's not your fault just as much as it's not his."

"He loves you, you know. I think that he's more your son than he sis Joe's," she told him.

Don smiled, "I love him like he's my own."

"That's good," Bernie answered, "He needs a real father in his life."

* * *

Elliot got off of the humvee, and sighed as he looked at the base in the desert. Home sweet home, he thought grimly. Back to fighting for his life and his country.

_December 25th _

_Liv,_

_Merry Christmas. Wish I was there to celebrate it with you. Fighting here is much worse… these guys aren't giving up without a fight. Great Christmas present, huh? Look in the top drawer of my night stand. I left you something. I love you so much, Liv, and I'll be home soon. _

_El_

_January 1st_

_El,_

_The necklace is beautiful, El. Thank you so much. Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year. As soon as you come home to me I can give you your gift. I spent Christmas with Don and your mom… they both miss you just as much as I do. We can't wait until you come home. I love you._

_Liv_

_January 8th_

_Liv,_

_Hope you're enjoying the snow over there. As strange as it sounds, I miss the snow, the cold. I've been in the desert for too long. You didn't have to get me anything. My gift is seeing your beautiful face when I get home. I promise I'll stay safe… I'll come home to you. I love you, and I'll see you soon._

_El_

Olivia smiled, holding the letter to her heart, which was fluttering in her chest. God, she loved him. She loved him so much.

There was a sudden knock on the door, and she set the letter down on the coffee table before going to answer it.

"Hi, Mrs. Stabler," she greeted when she saw Bernie standing in the doorway, "Come on in."

"Hi, Olivia," Bernie answered as she walked into the house, "Is Don around? I need to talk to him."

"Yeah, he's in the kitchen. Go ahead and sit down, I'll go get him."

"Thank you," the older woman said, sitting down on the cushions. Olivia smiled at her before walking into the kitchen. Don was sitting at the table, looking at the newspaper like he always did. He looked up, "What's up?"

"Elliot's mom is here," she told him, "She says that she has something to tell you…?"

Don stood, and walked into the living room, "Hi, Bernie," he greeted, sitting next to her, "What's going on?"

"It's Joe," Bernie said softly, "He's getting out of prison."

Don's jaw dropped, "He was supposed to be in for attempted murder. How is he getting out now?"

Bernie shrugged her shoulders, huffing, "My husband knows a lot of people. But what about Elliot? How do you think he'll react?"

"Well, we're not telling him until he gets home," Don said, "The battlefield is stressful enough, and we don't need to add anything to the heap."

Both Olivia and Bernie nodded their heads in agreement. Don was right. Olivia sighed shakily, "My god… five years for hurting Elliot like that? He deserved life. That's how long Elliot will have to deal with it."

"We know, Olivia," Don said, remembering all the pain Elliot went through, both mental and physical, "We know."

_February 14th_

_Liv,_

_I wrote as soon as I could. Fighting is starting to let up a little bit out here. I'm okay, just got a few cuts and bruises. I got news from the Corps today… I'm coming home from my tour June 1st. Four months, and I'll be home. Some inactive duty, then I'll be done in the Marines. We'll get to really be together. I love you, Liv, and I'll see you in a few months. _

_El_

_February 20th_

_El,_

_That's great news, El! I can't wait to see you again. Stay safe for a little while longer. We all can't wait to see you again. I'm glad that you don't have to fight as much. I love you._

_Liv_

Elliot had a small smile on his face as he sat on the bus on his way home. He was wearing a clean pair of fatigues, his cap was resting on his lap. His skin was tan, his dark blue eyes were twinkling. He was so close to home, so close to Olivia and his family.

It seemed like forever before the bus finally stopped. He stood, placing the cap over his head. His sunglasses also went on… June in New York was bright. He scanned the crowd, watching his fellow Marines get warm welcomes. It made him smile.

"Elliot!" he heard from behind him, and turned to see Olivia pushing through the crowd towards him.

She jumped into his arms, and he caught her, crashing his lips against hers. Warmth filled his heart, he didn't think that he could get any happier. The love of his life was here, in his arms again.

"Elliot," she whispered, framing his face with both of her hands, "God, you're here… I missed you so much."

"I missed you, too," he answered, setting her down, but keeping her pulled tightly against his body.

Their tender moment was interrupted by both Don and Bernie. Elliot released Olivia, "Hi, mom. Don."

"Hi, Elliot," Bernie said, reaching out to hug him tightly, "Look at you… you look great."

"Thanks, mom," the Marine answered, grinning.

Don hugged him next, "Glad to have you home, son."

Elliot nodded his head, taking Olivia's hand in his, "Glad to be home again."

Don noticed the gesture, and smiled knowingly, "C'mon. Let's go home."

They walked to the car, and Elliot got comfortable with Olivia in the backseat, "So. Anything interesting happen while I was gone?"

Don looked at Bernie, his thoughts immediately going to Joe, "You first. How was it out there?"

Elliot shrugged his shoulders, "There was more resistance than before. But it wasn't all that bad."

He knew that Don had avoided his question. But at that moment, he was too happy to be home to really care. Whatever he had to tell him could wait at least until they got back to the house.

Olivia scooted close to him, and wrapped an arm around his waist as she kissed the side of his face, "I'm just glad that you're home," she whispered.

He smiled, returning her embrace, "I know, Liv. I am, too."

A smile formed on her own face... it felt so good to hold him and be held by him again. Her eyes fluttered closed, and they cuddled the whole ride home.

When the car stopped in the driveway, Elliot opened the door and they both got out, staying close. Both Don and Bernie smiled at the young couple... they knew that Elliot and Olivia were great for each other.

"How about something to eat?" Bernie suggested as they walked into the house, "Elliot, you must be hungry for a nice, home-cooked meal."

Elliot smiled at his mother, "Yeah, mom. That sounds great."

Bernie pat his shoulder gently, "Good. You and Olivia go ahead and relax, Don and I will take care of everything."

The two young adults headed upstairs, silently agreeing that cuddling was in order. Bernie sighed as she watched them go, and turned to Don, "When are we going to tell him? We can't keep it a secret forever."

Don sighed, "I know. We'll tell him over dinner."

She nodded in agreement, "It's so good to have him home for good."

He smiled a small smile, "Yeah, I know. He's grown a lot."

"That's what the military does to people, I suppose," Bernie said, and they got to work cooking.

* * *

A/N: Please review and let me know if I should continue or not.


	34. Chapter 34

A/N: So I was looking through the newest stories on FanFiction... and all the post-season 13 stories with Elliot gone from SVU are starting to get to me a little bit. What happened to all the good stories with Elliot and Olivia partner action?

Anyway, after that rant, here's the next chapter...

* * *

Elliot and Olivia walked into his bedroom, and collapsed onto the bed together, holding each other close. He kissed her gently, and smiled. She returned it, "I love you, El."

"I love you, too, Liv," he answered.

Her hand ran gently over his chest, and his eyes fluttered closed. He loved feeling her hands on him. It didn't matter where.

Olivia felt the same... she loved feeling his muscles beneath her fingertips, his soft hair, or his lips. Being with him was the best feeling in the world. He scooted closer to her, silently asking her not to stop, and she didn't. Her hand ran up his chest, over his shoulder, and down his arm to lace his fingers with hers. He leaned in, and kissed her, just needing to feel her lips against his.

She returned the kiss, pulling him as close as she could. He squeezed her hand gently, expressing his feelings to her silently.

The moment was broken when they heard a soft knock on the door. They pulled away from each other, and blushed when they saw Don standing in the doorway. He chuckled lightly, "Relax, you too. It's not like I don't know you kiss. Just don't do anything else around me."

Both Elliot and Olivia laughed, "Don't worry," Elliot said, sitting up, pulling Olivia along with him, "We won't."

Don smiled, and nodded towards the hall, "Come on. Supper's ready."

They got up, and grasped each other's hands as they followed Don down the stairs and into the kitchen. They took their usual spots at the table with Don and Bernie, and Elliot's stomach growled at the sight of all the delicious-looking food.

Bernie laughed, "Dig in."

And he did. He ate until he was full, and it was the best meal that he had since he left. Bernie got up, and took his empty plate. He started to get up. "It's okay, mom, I'll get it."

Bernie put a hand on his shoulder, "Sit, Elliot. Relax, I'll take care of it."

"Thanks," he said, smiling slightly as he leaned back in his seat. Olivia's hand went to his knee under the table, and she squeezed it gently. He looked at her, his lips curled upward as he rested his hand over hers.

"Elliot," Don said, figuring that this was the best time to tell him, "There's something that you need to know."

Elliot nodded his head, getting a little nervous as his mother put the dishes in the sink, and sat back down, a serious look on her face. "Okay... what is it?"

Don looked at Bernie, not quite sure who should've been the one to actually say it. Bernie saw this look, and leaned closer to her son, resting her hand over his, "Elliot... Joe got out of prison a few weeks ago."

"_What?" _

It was all Elliot could manage to say. He was taken aback. It had only been five years... shouldn't it have been longer? How could he be out already? A pang of fear shot through him, but he shook it away. He never had to see Joe again. He was twenty-one years old, a man. A man that had just gotten out of the Marines. Even if Joe came around, Elliot could handle him.

But even through those rational thoughts, he couldn't help but feel... scared. Why did he feel scared? Why, at even the mention of Joe's name, did he feel like a helpless child again? He _wasn't_ helpless, damn it!

"Elliot..." Bernie started, seeing the look in his eyes.

Elliot shook his head, and stood. He had to get out of there. The door slammed behind him, but he didn't remember moving. His breaths were heavy as he made his way across the backyard, hands on his hips.

He dropped down onto the stump at the far end of the yard... it was from a tree that he helped Don take down, just a few months after he started living there.

He sighed shakily, looking down at himself. His fatigues glared up at him, reminding him of everything that he went through; of how much he'd grown.

He remembered what he was wearing the last time Joe beat him... a pair of jeans and his favorite tee-shirt. That was the last time he ever got to wear that shirt... blood had been stained on it afterwards. It was just another thing that Joe had ruined for him.

There was a hand on his shoulder, making him jump. He hadn't heard anyone coming. When he looked up, he saw Don looking down at him. There was a frown on his face...he felt the emotion that Elliot was feeling almost identically.

"I know it's hard to think about it," he said softly, "But you have to let it out now, or it will haunt you forever. Trust me, I know."

He shook his head, looking down at his fists as he clenched them tightly, "I'm fine... it doesn't matter, I'm fine."

"Bullshit," Don said, reaching out to squeeze his shoulder, "I know what you went through. I know what you're _still_ going through."

Elliot blinked hard, trying to find words, "Why? After only five years... how could he already be out? That's his punishment for..."

"I know," the older man said, "Sometimes our justice system isn't fair..."

"Yeah, well, our justice system _sucks_," he answered. He shot to his feet, and the next thing Don knew, he was slamming the back door closed.

He breezed passed his mother and Olivia, up the stairs, and flung himself onto his bed. He sighed shakily, pressing the side of his face against his pillow. He'd only been home for a few hours and his life was already getting screwed up. _Again_.

A pair of arms wrapped around him, and he heard her voice in his ear, "I love you."

He sighed shakily, and whispered, "I love you, too."

She kissed the back of his neck gently as her grip tightened around him, "Your dad loves you, too."

She felt his whole frame stiffen, and ran her hand gently over his chest, a gesture that was meant to soothe him, "Not Joe, Don. He loves you."

He turned towards her, and she smiled softly at him. He rested his head against her shoulder, "I-I don't know why I feel like this..."

She ran a hand gently through his hair, "You're hurt. It's okay to be hurt, I know what Joe did to you."

He nodded slowly, "It's never going to be over, is it?"

She leaned forward, and kissed him gently on the lips, "Probably not. But you should know that I'll always be here for you... just like you'll be here for me."

Elliot leaned closer to her, touching her nose with his, "I _will_ always be here for you..."

"I know you will be," she told him, reaching to pull the blanket over them both, noticing the bags under his eyes, "Now rest. You look like you need it."

A small smile came across his lips, and his eyes closed. He was tired... Olivia watched him as he drifted off to sleep. When she was sure that he would not wake, she drew herself out of his arms, and made her way out of his room. She walked down the stairs, and saw Don and Bernie sitting at the kitchen table.

Don looked up, and smiled softly at her, "Hey. How's he doing?"

"Asleep," she answered as she opened the fridge and took out a bottle of the water, "He'll be okay."

"I know he will," Don said, looking down into his coffee cup, "Of course he'll be okay."

Olivia smiled slightly, taking another sip of her water, "I'm gonna go back to bed. Good night."

"Night," Don answered, "See you in the morning."

Elliot was still fast asleep when Olivia entered the bedroom. She slipped off her shoes, and climbed under the blankets with him, snuggling close.

* * *

When she opened her eyes, the first thing that she saw was his deep, beautiful blue orbs. He gave her a small smile, and kissed her gently, "Good morning."

"Hey," she answered, "How long have you been up?"

He shrugged his shoulders, "Not long. I love watching you sleep."

"That makes two of us," she answered, smiling as she held him close, "How are you feeling this morning?"

He shrugged, looking down at her, "I'm... okay."

She leaned forward, and kissed him, "Good. I know that this is tough for you."

He nodded, "I didn't think... I don't know. I didn't think that it would be this hard, you know?"

Olivia hugged him tightly, "I know, El. But it'll be okay. Everything will work out."

"I hope so," he said sighing.

They laid in silence for a few minutes, just enjoying each other's embrace.

"It's your first full day back... what do you want to do?"

"Just want to lay here with you," Elliot answered softly, "So much to do, but today I just want to lay here."

She ran a hand gently through his hair, nodding her head, "That sounds perfect."

He sighed happily, and rolled onto his back, pulling her on top of her. She laughed softly, and he joined in, his arms tightening around her.

"I love you," he whispered, raising a hand to brush a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I love you, too," she answered, kissing his jawbone softly. She felt his breathing hitch in his throat, and smiled as she lavished his face and neck with gentle kisses. A content smile came across his face, "Liv..."

"El," she answered, moving to kiss and nip at the tender spot behind his ear. She felt him stir from beneath her, "Liv... don't start something you don't intend to finish..."

She chuckled softly, feeling him coming to life against her hip, "Who says I don't intend to finish it?" she whispered, her hand traveling down to cup him through his pants. He groaned softly, "Don and my mom downstairs," he said breathlessly, but he was fighting a losing battle. It had been so long... and her hand felt so good...

"Shh..." she whispered, her hand sliding into his pants, wrapping it around his hardness, "Just relax and enjoy it."

She pulled his boxers down just enough to reveal him, and ran her thumb over his tip, milking him. He inhaled sharply... her hand felt so good around him. She slinked down his body, and peppered kisses over his tummy, then his thighs, skipping over the part that needed her attention the most.

Her mouth hovered over him, and she looked up at his face. His cheeks were flushed and pleasure was clouding his eyes. She smiled before gently taking him in her mouth.

"Liv," he gasped. His hands went to run through her hair as her head bobbed up and down. He moaned quietly, letting his eyes flutter closed. It had been so _long_... too long. He knew that he wasn't going to last very long.

He was right. Only minutes later, he pulled lightly on her hair, "Liv... I'm gonna..."

She looked up at him, and kept going, telling him silently that she was willing to take whatever he gave her. A wave of pleasure washed over him, his body stiffened, and his vision blurred as he let go.

She kissed him one last time, and pulled is boxers back up around his hips.

"That was amazing," he whispered, wrapping his arms around her as she came back up to his level, "You're incredible, baby."

"You're just saying that because of what I just did," she whispered playfully, rubbing his back lightly.

He kissed her, "No. You are amazing, Liv. You're everything that I could ever want."

She nuzzled his nose gently, "I feel the same way, El."

Elliot kissed her again, and guided her head to rest on his chest, "Good."

And then they were silent, just loving being with each other. When she spoke several minutes later, her voice was soft, "How do you really feel about the whole thing with your dad, El?"

She needed to know... she knew that he wasn't too fond of the idea, she didn't blame him after everything that had happened.

He sighed shakily, and looked away, "I...I don't know," he whispered, his arms tightening around her subconsciously. He bit his lower lip, and she knew that he was conflicted. She kissed the corner of his mouth, "It's okay, El. However you feel... it's alright."

"He made eight years of my life hell," he whispered, "And he only gets five in prison?"

She slowly rolled onto her side, and pulled him close, running her hand through his hair. He lowered his face into her neck, "I don't want to care. I don't want him to affect me anymore, but I can't help it. He's out, doing God knows what... what do I do if he actually wants to see me? I don't know how to feel, Liv..."

Olivia's arms tightened around him, "You feel how you feel, El. No one's going to think anything less of you, no matter how you feel. I'll always be here, no matter what."

He smiled slightly, "Thank you, Liv. I don't... I don't know what I would do without you."

She leaned forward to kiss him, "You don't have to thank me, El."

He smiled slightly, snuggling close to her. He didn't need Joe. He had everything that he needed laying in his arms.

* * *

A/N: Sorry about the long wait. Hope you liked the chapter, though! Review and let me know what you think!


	35. Chapter 35

A/N: Hey, guys. Here's the next chapter, nice and quick. It's sort of short though, but I think the speed makes up for it. Enjoy!

* * *

It was twelve-fifteen the next day when Elliot walked up the steps to his childhood home. He sighed, knocking on the door. Seconds later, Bernie opened it, and smiled when she saw him, "Hi, Elliot."

He smiled as she hugged him, "Hi, mom."

"Come in," Bernie said, stepping aside to let him in. Elliot did so, and froze when he heard footsteps. He turned to his mother, "Who else is here?"

He had a funny feeling that he knew who it was... but he had to ask. Bernie opened her mouth to speak, but she didn't get the chance. Elliot's blood ran cold, and his muscles tensed when he saw _him_. Joe. He looked at his mother, "What is he doing here?"

"This is my house," Joe answered, "What are you doing here?"

That_ voice_. It was that voice that Joe would have right before he would hit him... every time he heard that voice, he would cringe. Every time he heard that voice, he wanted to die. All of those feelings were coming back to the surface. All of the feelings that he had worked so hard to make peace with over the past five years were suddenly boiling over. He felt like a scared little boy.

He refused to let that take over, though. He was over everything, he had made peace with himself a long time ago. Everything was fine now. He had a good life, he had a good family and he knew that he was in a good place now.

So he squared his shoulders, stared directly into his eyes, and manned up, "I'm here to see my mother."

He had promised himself that he wasn't afraid of Joe Stabler anymore, and God dammit, it was _true_.

Joe looked at his son... he was standing tall and wasn't backing down, like he always had done before. There was a military air about him, he was strong and proud, so unlike the boy that he had seen four years ago.

"Elliot," he began, "You're... you're a man."

Elliot's muscles tensed and flexed. His blood was boiling, his knuckles were white because he was clenching them so tight. God, he wanted to punch him. He wanted to hurt Joe like Joe had hurt him.

But he realized that if he did that, he would be just as bad. He was a good person, he was a good son. He wasn't like Joe.

Joe took a step towards him, and Elliot spoke, "Don't. Don't come any closer to me."

Joe stopped, and Elliot chuckled lowly. Of course, the only time that he actually did as he asked was the time that Joe knew he could handle himself. He shook his head, turning towards Bernie, "I'm sorry, mom. I have to go."

Bernie nodded her head, her eyes moistening slightly. She had known that Elliot wouldn't like Joe moving back in the house... but she had to do it. "I love you, Elliot. I'm sorry."

"Yeah, I'm sorry, too," Elliot answered, and walked out the door. He couldn't believe it... he was almost disgusted. He got into his truck, sighing as he leaned his head back against the seat. Why would she take him back, after everything that happened?

He pulled out of the driveway, and headed home. knowing that there was only one person that could make him feel better.

* * *

"Hey," Olivia greeted when he walked into the living room where she was sitting, "You're back early. How did it go?"

"_He _was there," Elliot answered, beginning to pace the floor.

"Wait. You mean...?"

"Yeah. Joe," Elliot said, shaking his head violently, "Why the hell would she let him stay? I would have kicked his ass out! Why..."

He stopped as she stood and wrapped her arms around him tightly. She rocked him back and forth, and kissed the side of his face gently, "I don't know, El. I don't know."

His arms went around him, and he sighed shakily, resting his chin on her shoulder, "He just walked into the room, and I swear, he was going to be... nice to me. Like the past thirteen years hadn't even happened."

She rubbed his back gently, "It's okay, El. You don't have to talk to him, you don't have to see him if you don't want to."

"I know," he said softly, "But..."

"But...?" she repeated, prodding gently.

He shook his head, burying his face in her neck. She sighed, knowing that he didn't want to talk anymore, and just held him. He pulled away slightly, and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear before pressing his lips to hers. She kissed him back, rubbing his back gently. He wrapped his arms around her waist, and pulled her against him as they dropped onto the couch. He deepened the kiss as his hand went to play with the hem of her shirt.

"El," she whispered, pulling away slightly, "Are you sure you're okay?"

He rested his forehead against hers, "I need you, Liv."

"I want you to talk to me," she said softly, "El, I want to help you feel better."

He sighed, sitting up on the couch. He looked down at the carpet, rubbing his hands together, "I don't know, Liv. I don't think anything will help... she _took_ him _in_. Who does that, after everything that he did to me? To us?"

"You need closure," she told him gently, "You should talk to him. I know you don't want anything to do with him, but I think that's the only thing that will help you feel better now."

"I can't talk to him," he told her, "I don't think I can even be in the same room as him right now."

"Just give yourself time," she said, running her hand through his hair, "Give yourself time, and when you're ready, I think you should talk to him."

"He put me through so much shit," he whispered, leaning into her, seeking comfort from her. She didn't disappoint him. She held him close, and pressed gentle kisses to the top of his head. It was the only way that she knew how to help him out of this.

They sat like that for a while. Olivia's soft humming and gentle caresses helped soothe him, and soon, he felt calm again. Everything was going to be okay... he knew that, he just didn't know when it would be okay, or what would happen before it was okay. But he knew that it would all work out.

"Want to go upstairs?" she asked softly, looking down at him.

He nodded silently, and she smiled softly at him. She stood, grasped his hand, and guided him up the stairs. When they entered his room, they both collapsed onto his bed and cuddled close.

"I love you, El," she told him, "More than I've loved anyone in the world. Everything's going to work out, I promise."

He nodded, "I know... I just wish it could be okay now, not later."

"I know you do," she answered, "But until it is, and after that, I'll be here for you."

"I love you, too," he told her softly, and his eyes closed slowly.

She snuggled close to him, and closed her own eyes, intended on following him into sleep, where she knew that he was going.

* * *

A/N: They meet! Should Elliot try and work on things with Joe, or should he have nothing to do with him? Let me know in a review!


	36. Chapter 36

A/N: Hey, guys. Thanks a lot to those who left me a review. Here's the next chapter!

* * *

Elliot's eyes opened slowly, and he smiled when he saw Olivia's head resting on his chest. He ran his fingers through her hair, sighing as he thought about what had happened earlier. His mother had let Joe back into her life, like nothing had happened. Something _had_ happened. Joe had hurt him beyond anything that either of them could imagine. He didn't want anything to do with the man.

He shook his head, and closed his eyes, trying to get those thoughts out of his mind. He didn't want to think about it anymore. He wanted to think about Olivia and his future. He wanted to think about the fact that he would never become what Joe was. He never wanted to hurt anyone like he had.

His eyes were drawn to Olivia's face as her eyes fluttered open. She smiled softly at him, "Hey."

He smiled back weakly, "Hey."

"What's the matter?" she asked, reading him like a book.

He shook his head, "Thinking about..."

"Joe?" she finished for him. He nodded in response, wondering when she had learned how to read his mind.

She leaned forward to kiss him softly, "Don't think about it so much. It'll drive you crazy."

"I know," he answered, "But I can't help it."

She knew that he would be hurting... seeing Joe so soon only made it worse. She wished that she knew how to help him get through this. It hurt her to see him in any kind of pain.

"Don't let him ruin what you have, El," she whispered, "Everything is good. Don't let him have that kind of power over you. Be happy."

"I am happy," he said, trying to convince her, "You make me happy. I'm just... I wish he was still in jail. I wish that I didn't have to deal with him right now. Not when... when I just got home."

He knew that it sounded terrible, saying that he wished his own father was still in prison. But he wasn't a father. Elliot couldn't think of him as a father, not when Don was around, acting like a real father and treating him like a real son. He wished that Don was it from the beginning. It would have made everything so much better. So much easier.

"I know you do," she told him, "There's nothing wrong with feeling that way. I know that I would feel the same way if my mom got out so soon."

He chuckled almost sadly, "We have a couple of fucked up parents, don't we?"

She couldn't help the laugh that escaped her lips, "Yeah, we do. Good thing we have each other."

"Good thing," he agreed, tightening his arms around her.

They fell into silence, Elliot feeling a bit better about everything now that he had a talk with her.

"You have to work tomorrow?" he asked several minutes later.

She nodded her head, "Yeah. Unfortunately."

He smiled, "At least you have a job right now."

"You've been working hard," she told him, "There's nothing wrong with taking a break."

He shrugged his shoulders, "Well, I don't want to stay unemployed for too long. Now that I'm home for good, we should start thinking about the Police Academy."

She looked up at him, and smiled, "You think?"

He nodded, "Yeah. I've got money from the Marines, but we can't live off of Don forever, you know? We could even get an apartment together, if you want."

"You want to? Really?" she asked, awed.

"Yeah," he answered softly, "You've been living here with Don for a while, and I know that I've been away... but I can't imagine living without you."

She smiled, and kissed him gently, "That sounds amazing, El."

* * *

A few days went by. Elliot was sitting on the couch, flipping through the channels on the TV. Don and Olivia were both working... he still hadn't looked around for a job yet. Olivia was right... he wanted to just relax for a while before he started working again.

His cellphone rang from inside his pocket, and he took it out, "Hello?"

"Hi, Elliot," it was his mother's voice. He hadn't spoken to her since the incident with Joe.

"Hi, Mom," he answered, muting the TV. He had decided that he couldn't be mad at her for taking Joe in. It was her husband, after all. "What's up?"

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you about your father, Elliot," Bernie told him, "I should have."

"It's okay, Mom," he said, "He's your husband. I get it."

She was silent for a second before speaking again, "Her really wants to talk to you. He felt terrible when you left like that."

"I don't want to see him," he told her immediately, "He should have felt terrible after he beat me all those times. This is his fault, he brought in on himself."

He heard Bernie sigh over the phone, "I know, you're right. But at least come and see me, will you? I miss you. Let's go out for lunch."

"Okay," he agreed, "I'll be there in a little while."

It didn't take long for him to get to the house. When he knocked on the front door, he prayed that his mother would answer it, not Joe.

A second later, Bernie opened it, making him sigh in relief, "Hi, Elliot."

He smiled back as she stepped out and closed the door behind her. She knew that he didn't want to come in, anyway, "Hey, Mom."

They walked to his truck, and he opened the passenger door for her. She smiled to herself, "What a gentleman."

Elliot chuckled lightly as he got in on the other side, "You taught me well."

She pat his hand, her smile growing a little wider. She was so proud of him.

They spent a few minutes in silence before he finally spoke, "So, uh... how is he?" he asked softly.

She looked at him, "He's okay."

He nodded once, focusing on the road in front of him. He didn't really want to have him in his life, but he knew that it would make his mother happy. He could cut the man a little slack... maybe. There wasn't really anything that he could lose at this point.

He pulled into the parking lot of the diner, and turned the truck off. They walked inside, were seated, and their orders were taken.

"How's Don and Olivia?" she asked.

"Good," Elliot answered, taking a sip of his Sprite, "Olivia and I are going to apply for the Police Academy."

Bernie smiled, "That sounds wonderful, Elliot."

"Thanks," he said, smiling, glad that his mother approved.

"You really love Olivia, don't you?" she asked thoughtfully.

The thought made him smile, "Yeah. I really love her."

Bernie's smile grew wider as she took his hand with hers, "Enough to marry her?"

"I can't imagine my life without her," he said, and paused to think, "I think so. Yeah, I love her enough to marry her."

Their food came at that moment, and when the waitress left, Bernie spoke, "She's a very nice girl, Elliot. You two have been together for a long time."

"Five years," Elliot answered proudly, "That is a long time."

They ate, and he couldn't get his mind off of it. Marriage... he hadn't been thinking about it until his mother had brought it up. Yes, he could definitely marry her.

When the bill came, Bernie grabbed it before he could, "Don't worry about this. I'll pay."

"Thanks," he answered, smiling.

* * *

When they got back to the house, Elliot suddenly had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. Something was wrong. He wasn't sure what it was, but he knew that something was wrong. He got out of the truck when his mother did, "Why don't I come in for a few minutes?"

Bernie smiled warmly, "Okay."

She thought that maybe he was going to give it a shot with Don. It made her happy. They walked up the front steps together, and she opened the door. They walked inside, but the scene in front of them made Elliot stop dead in his tracks. He instinctively pulled his mother behind him, his eyes trained in front of him.

There Joe was, sitting on the couch, with a pistol in his hands. He had just loaded it, and was now pressing the muzzle under his chin. Elliot was immediately thrown back into Marine mode. He knew what to do, disarm and disable, but the only problem was that the gun wasn't pointed at him, but Joe.

"Dad?" he asked, his voice calm, almost monotone, almost opposite of what he was really feeling.

"Elliot," Joe answered hoarsely, looking up at the two of them.

Elliot reached into his pocket, "Mom, I need you to take my phone, go outside and call Don, okay?"

He kept his eyes on Joe as he took out the phone and handed it out for Bernie to take. Thankfully, she did as he asked. She probably thought that he knew what he was doing.

"What are you doing, Dad?" Elliot asked. His adrenaline was pumping and his head was nearly spinning.

"Ending it," the older man answered. It was the weakest voice that he had ever heard his father use. For the first time ever with him, Elliot felt like he was in control.

He didn't want to be.

He took two small steps towards the couch, "Don't do this," he said.

"You don't care," Joe said, "You want me dead."

Elliot shook his head, feeling a pang of pain at what he had just said. He wasn't that cruel, "No, I don't. I'm pissed at you, I didn't really want to deal with you in my life. Can you blame me? You beat me. You beat me for a long time and you were only getting worse. If hadn't gotten out of that house, you would've killed me."

Joe pressed the gun further into his skin, and for the first time, Elliot saw his father cry. Tears were welling up in his eyes, and Elliot felt in some part of him that he was getting revenge. It made him feel sick.

"I'm sorry, Elliot," he whispered, "I'm the failure. I failed you..."

"You can still fix it, Dad," Elliot said, stepping closer, "You can still make it right."

"I can't..." Joe whispered.

"What do you want from me? Love? Well, you have it. I love you. You're my father, and I...I need you," it was so hard to admit that, not to Joe, but himself. He didn't want to need him. He dropped to his knees on front of the couch, and his voice came out in a whisper, "I need you. It took me until now to realize it. You were never really there for me and that's what I wanted the most. I wanted you to be proud of me, not disgusted like I always thought you were."

A single tear broke away and streamed down his face, "Why? All's I wanted was your love. And you gave me _this_. A lifetime of pain and not enough balls to watch you just end it," Elliot looked up at him, "Why did you do this to me? Why couldn't you be a real father to me?"

Joe shook his head, his finger closing in on the trigger, "I'm not your father. It might be my blood in your veins, but I'm not. Don Cragen is your father. He's the one that has been there for you. He's the one that helped you through... what I did to you. You should have been born to him. He deserves a son like you. I don't."

"It doesn't matter if you really think that," he said, trying to hold back the tears, "I told you that I need you. Please don't do this. I...I love you, Dad,"

Before Elliot knew it, Joe had dropped the gun and hugged him tightly. His arms wrapped around his father automatically. His knees were weak, but Joe kept him standing, "I love you, too, son," he said, making Elliot realize that he was sobbing quietly.

He dropped his forehead to his father's shoulder, and let the few stray tears break free. It was all too much. He didn't care about how strong or weak Joe thought he was, all's he wanted was his Dad. All's he wanted was too feel safe around him, like he was supposed to, instead of threatened.

"I'm sorry," Joe said, sniffling, "I was wrong. That's it, I was wrong."

Elliot took a deep breath, and blinked, getting a hold of himself. He pulled away, wiping his eyes.

The door opened, and Elliot turned, seeing Don make his way inside, "Hey. Everything okay here?"

"Fine," Joe answered.

Elliot reached down, and picked up the gun off of the floor, holding it out to Don, "Here."

The detective took it, looking his son over, making sure he was okay. He rested a hand on his back, speaking gently, "Come on, Elliot. Let's get you out of here."

"I need a minute," he answered softly, "I'll meet you outside."

Don pat him on the back, "Okay. I'll be outside, then."

Elliot turned towards his father, taking a deep breath, getting his composure back.

"I want to be in your life again, Elliot," Joe told him, "Will you let me?"

"I don't know," Elliot said, shaking his head, thinking about everything that was just said, "I need some time to think."

Joe nodded, "Okay. Take... take however long you need."

Elliot looked at him for a moment, and turned, making his way out of the house.

Don was waiting in the driveway, hands tucked in his pockets. He looked at his son, and smiled slightly, "Everything okay?"

He shrugged, "I guess."

They got into the truck, Don in the driver's seat, "What happened in there?"

"I...I'm not really sure," he said, "Joe was... he was going to kill himself. He said that-that he was sorry."

"You don't have to talk," he said, focusing on the road.

Elliot nodded, and leaned back in his seat. He didn't know what was going on anymore. He chuckled darkly. Every time Joe was involved in his life, he fucked something up.

They pulled into the driveway, and he got out, following Don into the house. Elliot grabbed Don's arm, "Wait. Joe got the gun. Is he going to get into trouble because of that?"

Don looked at him, and shook his head, "I'll make sure he doesn't."

Elliot shook his head, "How did you know..."

The detective chuckled, "I know you want to deal with him on your own."

His grip loosened and he smiled slightly, "Thanks."

Don nodded, and Elliot made his way upstairs. Olivia was in his bedroom. When he walked inside, she stood automatically, "Are you okay? What happened?"

Elliot shrugged, falling onto the bed, "Crazy bastard almost killed himself."

"_What?"_ she asked, sitting next to him, "How...?"

"He had a gun," he told her, "And he was going to blow his brains out. I stopped him... I guess."

Her hand went to rub his back, and he sighed, rubbing his temples. His head was spinning. What the hell was he supposed to do now?

* * *

A/N: I'm sad because the Patriots lost the Super Bowl:( Cheer me up with a review!


	37. Chapter 37

A/N: Hey, guys. Thanks for great feedback you gave me. Enjoy the next chapter of Adversity.

* * *

Elliot walked down the stairs, and when he entered the living room, Don looked up from the TV show that he was watching, "Hey. Doing alright?"

The younger man nodded, "Yeah, I'm fine. I just need some air."

"You know I'm here for you if you want to talk."

"I know," Elliot said, giving him a small smile before opening the door and walking out.

He shoved his hands into his pockets as he walked down the driveway and turned onto the sidewalk. If someone asked him a few years ago if he would ever talk to Joe again, he would say no without hesitation. So why was it so different now? Why was he having a hard time cutting him off? It's not like he needed Joe... or did he?

"_What the hell are you doing?"_

_Elliot jumped as he heard the strong, deep voice of his father. He turned, and saw him, tall and broad-shouldered. They were close in height now, unlike those years ago… but Joe was still bigger, and still stronger. He was wearing his police uniform, and he didn't look happy. But then again, when did he? _

"_I. uh…" Elliot started, but stopped when he felt Joe's palm connect with his face. He stumbled back, bringing his fingers to his stinging cheek. He wasn't very surprised by the act of violence… it had happened all to often in the Stabler house. But that didn't make it hurt any less._

"_What, you think I'm stupid? You think I wouldn't notice you snuck out?" Joe asked, his voice raising in volume with every word. _

"_No, I…"_

_Joe punched Elliot in the stomach, making him double over, groaning quietly in pain. He pressed his palms against Elliot's back, and kneed him twice before pushing him away, making him fall to the floor, clutching his aching stomach. _

_Elliot didn't tell his father that he'd been stuck in traffic on the way home. He didn't tell him that there had been a girl his age, broken down on a busy road, that he had stopped to help her. And Joe didn't give him a chance to apologize for being late or tell his side if the story. But it wouldn't have mattered anyway. Joe would have beaten him either way. _

"_I'll teach you to sneak out," Joe said, and then Elliot heard the unmistakable sound of his belt buckle. He squeezed his eyes shut, and went to another place as Joe whipped the belt over his back. _

"_Get your ass upstairs," Joe said when the abuse finally stopped, "I'm going in." _

His back stung when he merely thought about that night. That was his reward for trying to help someone out when he lived in Joe's home. A beating.

He knew that he was probably wrong in that situation... he probably should have called to say that he was going to be late, but he knew that it wasn't an excuse for what Joe had done to him. There was no reason for it. It was just another senseless beating. It was one of the last beatings that he ever suffered through...

"_Where do you think you're going?"_

_Elliot swallowed, and took a deep breath, turning slowly. He almost winced when he saw the rage in his father's eyes. This was going to hurt. _

"_Just going for a ride," he answered, "You want to come? Blow of some steam?"_

_He knew that this wasn't going to work. He was going to get beaten. But at least he could try. Maybe it would help, even a little bit. _

"_What the hell are you talking about?" Joe asked, shoving him. _

"_Don't touch him, Joe," Bernie said, finally stepping in for her son._

"_Go upstairs, Bernadette," Joe answered, "Let me and Elliot handle this."_

"_I'm not leaving so you can torture our son."_

"_Just go upstairs, Mom," Elliot said softly. He knew what was going to happen. Joe didn't care if she had to watch what was going to happen. _

"_Elliot…"_

"_Don't. It's okay." It wasn't going to be okay. But he had to say something. He had to get his mother out of there. _

_She bit her lip, and stared at him for a second before leaving the room. Elliot watched her go, resigned, and then turned back to his father._

"_Good boy," Joe said, grabbing fistfuls of his shirt._

"_I just don't want my mother to have to watch you beat her son," Elliot told him, and Joe chuckled._

"_What happened this time?" Elliot asked, once again trying to soften his father up. But once again, it didn't work. Joe slung him across the room, and he hit the trashcan, falling onto his back._

"_You don't need to worry about it," he stated. _

_Elliot shrugged, nearly un-phased by the sudden act of violence. This was just a warm-up, after all. Joe hadn't even gotten started yet._

"_Just wanted to know why I'm being used as a punching bag this time."_

_Joe grabbed his shirt, and yanked him to his feet. Then his fist was connecting with Elliot's face. Everything after that was a blur… he tried to block the pain out, but it seared through him, brutal and unforgiving. He saw Joe, punching him in the face, himself sinking to the ground, leaning against the wall. Then kicking, directly to his stomach. _

_He couldn't do anything but sit there and take it. Then he was on his feet again, surprised that he could even stand. Before he knew it, he was on the floor, and a new wave of pain was washing over him. He knew that he was bleeding, but he didn't know where, or why. It was the worst beating that he had ever gotten. _

_Suddenly, he couldn't breath. Everything was clear again. Joe had him pinned up against the wall, one of his hands was wrapped around his neck, choking him. _

_He was going to die. That was all that he could think about, the only thing that would register in his mind, which was clouded with pain. Without even thinking about it, his leg shot forward, and he kicked Joe as hard as he could. The grip on his neck loosened, and he fell to the ground, coughing and sputtering, trying to catch his breath. _

_Joe grabbed his shirt, pulled him to his feet, "You dare touch me?"_

_If he wasn't so hurt, he would laugh. How dare he touch him? _

_When he didn't answer, still trying to breath, Joe dragged him to the door, "Get out. Get out and stay out. I don't want to see your face around here again."_

_Then he was on the grass, which was damp with the evening dew. The few tears that fell from his eyes mixed with the wetness._

_It was the first time that he cried in years. _

Elliot's fists tightened from their places at his sides. That was the single worst memory that he had. Ever. He remembered not only the pain, but the fear and uncertainty that had overcome him that night. It was physical pain... the mental pain of thinking that not only his father, but seemingly everyone hated him, or didn't care about him. He had sunken so far into darkness that he was willing to live on the streets. He hadn't cared about anything except protecting himself from the physical pain. He was done with everything.

f it wasn't for Joe, he would never have had to go through that.

But then again, he wouldn't be where he was in life. He never would have met Don... the man that had saved his life and showed him what a real man, a real father, was. He would be a different person if it wasn't for him.

Elliot found himself walking through the small park near the house... he didn't even remember walking here. He sighed, dropping onto one of the park benches.

Joe had done so many bad things to him... he beat him, degraded him and kicked him out of his own home at age sixteen. But it wasn't completely bad, was it? There must have been at least one good time that he had with the man.

"_C'mon, Elliot," Joe said, looking over his shoulder. Behind him was a seven year old Elliot, nearly jogging to keep up with his father. _

"_You're too fast," he answered._

_He chuckled, and switched the two fishing poles to one hand. He lifted the boy up into his arm easily, "We're almost there. You ready to try and catch some fish?"_

"_Yeah!" Elliot answered enthusiastically. _

_When they reached the shore of the lake, Joe set him down and handed him his little fishing pole, "Do you remember how?"_

"_I think so," he said, stepping to the edge of the grass. He held the button down, and cast it out as hard as he could. Joe pat him on the back, and grabbed his own pole, casting the line out. Elliot was amazed at how far the line went out... his dad was the best fisher ever. _

_They both sat down on the grass silently, focusing on their lines. After a while, Elliot felt a pull. He turned to his dad, tapping his shoulder, "I think I got something!"_

"_Reel it in," Joe told him. Elliot did so, turning the handle, not too fast, just like Joe had taught him. _

_Joe grasped Elliot's fishing rod to keep it steady, and helped him reel it in. There was a medium sized sunfish on the line when they reeled it all the way in, and Elliot smiled, "Look what I got!"_

"_Great job, son," he said, "Now I'll teach you how to get him off the hook..."_

"_It has to be about the Civil War," Elliot told his father as they sat at the kitchen table. _

"_And it's supposed to be in a shoe box?" Joe asked, looking at the various art supplies and little figurines that Elliot had spread out on the table._

_Elliot nodded, and he shook his head, "I never had to do any of this stuff when I was in school. But do the scenery first. The grass and the trees."_

_Joe helped him cut out the green construction paper, glue it done, and place the trees into the box in different places. They cut out the sky next. Elliot cut out little clouds with white paper, and Joe helped him glue them above the blue paper._

"_Now we have to do the soldiers," he said, picking up two of the men that were scattered out on the table, "Where should they be, Dad?"_

_Joe picked up on of the figures, and placed it behind one of the trees, "Like this. Make sure they're hiding so the other side can't see them."_

_Elliot placed one of the blue soldiers on the other side, "Like this?"_

_Joe nodded, "Just like that."_

Elliot dropped his head into his hands. Tears were forming in his eyes and starting to stream down his cheeks. That was what a real father was supposed to be. He was supposed to love and support his child, not hurt him. He had so much fun fishing that day... it was one of the best memories that he had. He could remember the pride in Joe's eyes when he caught that fish... or was he just imagining it? He liked to think that Joe was proud of him at some point. He'd like to think that his father didn't think he was a failure, like he always called him.

He grasped his hair in his fists, the tears falling and splashing onto the sidewalk. This felt like a wound reopening... it was like breaking a bone that was already healed, except it wasn't healed correctly in the first place. He hadn't healed correctly so now he had to break all over again.

A real man would've just walked away, wouldn't he? He would walked away from someone like Joe and never look back. Or would he?

Olivia had said it was okay to feel however he felt. She had said that she wouldn't think any less of him either way. But was that really true? Would she still feel the same if he tried having Joe, an abuser, in his life?

He shook his head, sighing. He felt lost...

Olivia walked down the stairs, and saw Don sitting on the couch, "Hey. Do you know where Elliot went? I dozed off and then he wasn't there..."

"He went for a walk," Don told her, "He needed to think about everything."

Olivia sighed, dropping onto the couch next to him, "He's having a hard time with this, isn't he?"

Don nodded, "It was too soon. He wasn't ready for Joe to be out in the world again."

"I wish there was a way that we could help him," she said softly.

Don patted her on the back gently, "I think this is something that he has to get over on his own. There's nothing really that we can say to make the situation better."

She leaned back on the couch, "If this is how I feel when my mom gets out..."

"Hopefully you won't have to deal with that for a while," the detective said.

She nodded, "Hopefully."

The door opened, and Elliot walked in slowly, closing the door behind him. His demeanor was different than it was when he left... both Don and Olivia hoped that it was for good and not the other way around.

"Hi, El," Olivia greeted softly.

Elliot sat down beside her, taking her hand in his, "Hi."

"How are you?" Don asked, looking his son over, trying to get a clue on how he was feeling and what he was thinking.

Elliot shrugged, "I'm okay. I did a lot of thinking."

"About what?" the detective asked, although he had a pretty good idea of what he was thinking about.

"The bad times with him..." he started, knowing that they knew who 'he' was, "But also the good times, even though there weren't that many."

"Did you decide what you're going to do?" Olivia asked, squeezing his hand gently.

"I'm not sure..." he told her, "But I thought about, you know, what's right, and what's wrong... about what a good person would do and what a bad person would do. Before, I thought that a real man would walk away from it all and not deal with the bullshit. But I just realized... that's not right. A real man would talk it through, let him know why what he did wasn't right and maybe give him another chance."

"So are you going to?" Don asked.

Elliot shrugged, "I think the question is whether I want to be good or not. I mean, I could walk away from it all... that would be the easiest... but on the other hand..."

"You think that talking it through would be the good decision," Don finished for him.

The younger man looked up at him, and bit his lip, "It probably is...but I just need more time. I have to make sure I do what I think is best for me."

Olivia leaned over to kiss his temple, and spoke quietly in his ear, "That's all you should do. You don't owe anyone anything except yourself."

Elliot sighed, leaning into her warm body. He knew that he just needed some more time to think. He wasn't going to rush into anything... he just needed some time, and he knew that everything would turn out the way it was supposed to be.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading. Hope you enjoyed! By the way, I just realized that this has become my longest story on FanFiction! And it's still going strong. So thanks for helping me reach thirty seven chapters, guys!


	38. Chapter 38

A/N: Hey, guys. Here's the next chapter. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

Elliot didn't sleep much that night. By the time the sun rose above the trees, he had gotten maybe three hours of fragmented sleep. Around eight, he finally gave up and got out of bed, walking to the closet to get something to wear. Olivia had left for work at one of the points he had actually been asleep. Ironic.

He dressed in a pair of jeans, and walked down the stairs, trying to decide what he was going to do for the day. He sat down on the couch, flipping on the TV out of habit. He flipped through the channels idly, not really wanting to anything, but not wanting to sit there in silence either. His eyes closed and his head fell back against the cushions.

The TV blared on in the background, but he was lost in thought. He had apologized. He had said that he loves him. Elliot could count the number of times that Joe had said that on one hand. Maybe he really had changed...

Elliot got off the couch, and headed outside to his truck. He didn't know where he was going when he started the car and backed out into the street. Maybe he just needed a change of scenery. Being in that house was starting to drive him crazy.

When he got out of the truck, he found himself in a familiar place. It was the lake... the lake where Joe had taken him those years ago to fish. He shoved his hands into his pockets, and walked down the dirt path. Even though it was over ten years ago, he could remember it like it was only yesterday. Maybe it was because it was one of the only nice things that Joe had done with him.

The small clearing on the edge of the lake caught his eye, and he made his way to the shoreline. He remembered standing in that exact spot when he caught that sunfish... it wasn't a very big fish, but when he was seven, it seemed like a big accomplishment. And Joe had watched him with pride... pride that he probably hand't seen since then.

He lowered himself down onto the grass, and looked out at the water as he replayed that day over in his mind. His eyes closed, and it felt like he was there again... living that day all over.

He jumped when his cellphone vibrated in his pocket. He took it out, "Hello?"

"Hi, Elliot," he heard his mother's voice from the other end.

"Hey, mom," he answered, toying with the grass subconsciously, "What's up?"

"I just wanted to talk with you," she told him, "After... what happened."

"Oh. Is he home? Can I come over?" he asked, wiping off his jeans as he stood up.

"No, he went out somewhere," she told him, "Of course you can come by."

"Okay. I'll see you in a few minutes then."

Elliot flipped him phone shut, and made his way back to his truck.

* * *

When he knocked on the door, Bernie opened it, and stepped aside to let him inside, "Hi."

"Hi," he answered as they made their way into the kitchen and sat down.

She scrutinized him for a moment, "How are you doing?"

He shrugged his shoulders, trying to think of a way to tell her what he was feeling. He didn't know how to describe it, though. "I'm... I dunno. Confused, I guess."

"Confused?" she asked.

He nodded, "Yeah. I mean... I don't get it. I don't know if he's really changed, or if it's an act... and if it is real, I don't know if I should see him or not. I'm just... confused. About everything."

Bernie reached across the table, and took his hand in hers, "That's okay. You don't have to know everything right now. He knows that it might take a while for you to make your decision. He respects you, Elliot."

"I dunno about that," he mumbled, running his free hand over the back of his neck, "He never did before, how could that have changed? Five years isn't very long."

Bernie shrugged, "I'm only telling you what I see. What you do about it is up to you."

He sighed, shaking his head, "I'm sorry, but... you know what happened, you know how I feel. I can't just forget about everything that's happened."

"No one expects you to, Elliot. We all know that it's not something that's just going to go away, Joe especially."

"I just need some more time, Mom. I need to think about it some more."

"Okay," she answered, "Now, there's something else that you wanted to talk to me about?"

He chuckled lightly, "How did you know?"

Bernie smiled softly at him, "I'm your mother. I know everything when it comes to you."

Elliot nodded his head, "I guess so. I was thinking about it...and I'm going to ask Liv to marry me."

"Oh, Elliot," she breathed, "That's wonderful! When?"

"I'm not sure yet," he answered, "I should get a job first. And I need a ring..."

She smiled, and pat his hand gently, "Stay here. I'll be right back."

He watched her get up and walk out of the kitchen, wondering what she was doing. Bernie returned moments later, and placed a small black box in front of him. He looked at it, and then up at her, "What...?"

"Open it," she answered, smiling softly at him.

He picked it up, and did as she requested, opening the box. The ring that was inside was beautiful. It was a white gold band with a diamond in the middle and two smaller ones on either side, "Mom... I can't take..."

"It was your grandmother's," she interrupted, "It was her wedding ring. You were very young when she died, but she loved you more than anything. Every time she came to visit, she would sit with you on the floor in the living room and play. Your father and I had to drag her out when it was time for you to go to sleep or take a bath. Do you remember?"

Elliot nodded his head, "A little bit."

Bernie smiled, "Well, she left this to you in her will. She wanted you to give it to the girl that you love one day. It's yours."

He smiled, and placed the box inside his breast pocket, "Thank you, mom."

"You're welcome, Elliot," she answered.

* * *

When Elliot made it back home, he meandered into the kitchen, and opened the fridge. Before he could reach for anything, though, two slender arms wrapped around his waist, and lips pressed against his neck, "Hey, baby," Olivia whispered in his ear.

Elliot let the fridge door close, and turned in her arms, "Hey," he answered, kissing her passionately.

She kissed him back, and pulled him against her, running her hands over his back, then his chest, anywhere that she could reach.

"Don called," she said between kisses, "He has to stay late, and probably won't get home until tomorrow."

"Mmm," he murmured, wrapping his arm around her waist, knowing exactly where this was going.

She guided him out of the kitchen and up the stairs, having trouble since they wouldn't stop kissing.

Elliot opened his eyes, and smiled at what he saw. Olivia was sleeping peacefully next to him. He got up slowly, slipped on a pair of sweatpants, and picked up the shirt that he had been wearing before Olivia took it off. The ring box was resting safely in the pocket. He grabbed it, and carefully placed it at the bottom of his sock drawer, saving it for a day that he wasn't sure of yet.

He threw their clothes in the hamper, and then slipped back into bed with her. She stirred, her arms wrapping around him, "El...?"

"I'm right here," he whispered, "You can go back to sleep. It's only three-thirty."

"Too late," she answered, pressing a few sweet kisses to his bare chest, "I'm up now."

Her hand ran down his stomach, and she hooked a finger into his sweatpants, snapping the waistband lightly, "How come you're wearing these?"

Elliot chuckled, "Because I didn't want to walk around the house naked, unless Don came home."

"Off," she said, "I want to feel you."

Before he could move, her hands were grasping the material and she slid them down. He kicked them off, and she kissed his neck, "That's better."

Elliot smiled, nuzzling her nose, "I love you, Liv."

"I love you, too, El," she answered, smiling back.

"Forever?" he asked. He hadn't meant to, it just slipped out.

"Yes," she answered, kissing his lips gently, "Forever."

His smile grew wider, and he kissed her back.

"Elliot, Olivia," Don called from the kitchen. He was holding the mail... there were two identical envelopes addressed to both of them.

He watched them walk down the stairs, "What's up?" Elliot asked, wrapping both arms around Olivia's waist. Don handed them the two letters, and the couple took them, tearing them open.

"Police Academy," Olivia stated, "I was accepted."

Elliot grinned as he read his identical acceptance letter, "Me, too."

"Congratulations, you two," Don said, "You're one step closer."

* * *

Elliot lay awake in bed. He was holding a sleeping Olivia in his arms, looking at her through the darkness. There were two many thoughts in his mind to sleep... so he just watched her. His fingers traced over her features, and smiled softly. He had everything that he ever wanted... he had her, they were going to the academy together. He had that little black box buried in his sock drawer, he just had to find the right time to take it out.

"You're awake," Olivia whispered, breaking him out of his thoughts, "How come?"

He shrugged his shoulders, nuzzling her nose lovingly, "Just thinking."

"Think tomorrow," she told him, "Sleep now."

"Liv..." he started, but changed his mind, "I love you."

She smiled, and kissed his lips gently, "I love you, too, El. Now sleep."

He closed his eyes, buried his face in her neck, and drifted off to sleep. She kissed the top of his head, and drifted off with him.

* * *

A/N: When is Elliot going to pop the question? And what will happen between him and his father? Find out by reviewing! Thanks for reading!


	39. Chapter 39

A/N: Here you guys go! Chapter 39 of Adversity. Enjoy!

* * *

Elliot looked around, studying the apartment that he was standing in.

"So, what do you think?" asked the real estate agent, who Elliot knew as Tom Byers.

He nodded his head thoughtfully, taking another look around, "Not bad. How much did you say it was?"

"Rent is two," he answered, "Utilities included."

"Not bad, for right in the city," Elliot said quietly to himself, "Yeah. I'll take it."

Byers nodded, "Great. I'll draw up the paperwork.

"El, where are we going?" Olivia asked, "You've had your hand over my eyes since we got out of the truck. And speaking of the truck, what was up with that blindfold? What's going on?"

"Shh..." Elliot whispered in her ear as he put the key in the lock and turned it. He guided her into the apartment, closed the door behind them, and pulled his hand away from her face, "Surprise."

She looked around, "El...what...?"

"It's ours," he told her, "If you want it to be. Liv... will you move in with me?"

She turned towards him, and pulled him to her, kissing him deeply. His arms wrapped around her waist, and he kissed her back.

They broke apart, "Of course I will."

He grinned, and kissed her again, "I love you, Liv."

"I love you, too, El," she answered, and grabbed his hand, "C'mon. I want to look around."

He chuckled softly as she pulled him into the kitchen. She walked over to the stove, and he wrapped his arms around her waist, "Gonna have to learn how to cook," he murmured.

"Or just order takeout," she answered, leaning into him.

He chuckled, "True."

She leaned up, and kissed him gently before taking his hand and walking from the kitchen into the bedroom.

"My favorite room," he murmured, kissing her neck lightly. She smiled, lifting his face to kiss him, "Me, too."

He grinned as they broke apart, "Check out how comfortable this bed is."

Elliot grabbed her, and flung both of them onto the bed. She laughed, "El...!"

"Yeah?" he asked softly, pressing his nose into her hair, inhaling the sweet scent of her shampoo.

She shook her head, snuggling closer to him, "Nothing."

"Love you." he whispered.

"Mmm..." she answered, "I love me, too."

"Hey," he said, pulling back slightly, "Say it back."

She chuckled lightly, "I just did."

"Fine," he said, and and his hands shot out, tickling her mercilessly. She shrieked with laughter, squirming to get out of his grasp, "El! Please...!"

He chuckled along with her, but did not let up, "Nope. Not until you say it."

"Okay!" she said, "Okay. I'll say it. Just... stop."

Elliot grinned triumphantly, and stopped tickling her, "Okay. I'm waiting."

Suddenly, he was on his back, and she was straddling his stomach, tickling him back. He laughed, and tried to get out from under her, but she had him pinned.

"Liv," he said between laughs, "C'mon..."

She gave him a thoughtful look, "What're you gonna give me?"

"What do you want?"

She stopped tickling him, and leaned down, stopping only inches away from his lips, "You."

He started to raise his head so that he could kiss her, but she pulled away slightly, shaking her head, "Don't move," he hand moved to touch his cheek gently, "I'm repaying you for doing this."

Elliot nodded silently, and she kissed him. Her hands ran over his chest lightly, making him shiver. Her lips moved away from his to press sweet butterfly kisses to his cheek, jawbone and then his neck. She smiled at him, and reached for the bottom of his shirt, pulling it off for him.

"So handsome," she whispered, her hands running over his chest. Her thumbs brushed over his nipples as she went.

Before he could make any sort of reply, she kissed him deeply. He responded immediately, but did not reach to touch her. She was in control now... he was just going to lay back and enjoy it.

He groaned softly when she ground against his growing erection, making her grin. She sat up, and disposed of her shirt and bra, loving the way his eyes swept over every inch of her bare skin.

Elliot had to restrain himself from reaching up to touch her now. She was evil... she knew he had a weakness for her perky, round breasts and she was exploiting it now. Her fingers went to unbuckle his belt, "Want these off?"

He nodded vigorously, and she grinned, unzipping his pants and pulling them down, taking his boxers with them.

"Liv..." he whispered as her hand wrapped around him.

"Shh..." she answered, nibbling lightly on his ear, "Just lay back and enjoy it."

She slinked down his body, and his hand shot to the back of her head as she took him in her mouth.

"Liv," he said breathlessly, "I need you."

She released him, and crawled back up his body, "Do you?"

He nodded, and she smiled, kissing him passionately. she slipped out of her pants, rolling over as she pulled him on top of her, "Then take me."

And he did. They made love passionately in their new bed, in their new apartment. When they were finished, Elliot collapsed next to her, and they snuggled close.

"Little nap," he whispered, "Then we should go back and start packing."

"Okay," she answered, scooting even closer to him.

"Love you, Liv," he murmured, letting his eyes drift shut.

"Love you, too, El."

And they were both asleep.

When Elliot opened his eyes, he saw Olivia's beautiful face looking bak at him. He gave her a small smile, "Hi."

She smiled back, smoothing her hand over his hair, "Hi."

He leaned in to kiss her, and sighed happily. Her grin widened a bit, and she asked, "What?"

He gave her another quick peck, and answered, "I could get used to this. Making love to you whenever, not having to worry about Don, my mom or anyone else. Having showers together or laying in bed all we want..."

Olivia nodded her head, running her hand over his chest, "I could get used to that, too."

Elliot grinned, "Good. Cuz that's all I want to do."

They laid in bed for a little while longer, and then got up, dressed, and went back to the house to pack up and talk to Don about their new home.

* * *

"So when can I see the apartment?" Don asked the two young adults. He was proud... his son and his girlfriend, moving out, starting the Police Academy...

Elliot shrugged his shoulders, "We want to get settled first, unpack everything... unless you want to come help us."

Don chuckled, and shook his head, "No, thanks. Just give me a call when you're all settled," he sighed, "I can't believe you're moving out. Seems like only yesterday you came to live with me. And now, six years later..."

"Going out on my own," Elliot said, and turned to Olivia, wrapping his arm tighter around her, "Well, not all on my own."

Olivia smiled at him, and leaned closer to him. He sighed, "Don... I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for me. You saved my life, you took me in..."

Don smiled, patting his shoulder, "I already told you, Elliot," he said gently, "You're my son, and I love you."

Elliot smiled, and hugged him, "I love you, too."

They released each other, and Don spoke, "It's getting late. If you want to get there and start unpacking..."

"Yeah, El," Olivia said, "We should get going."

Elliot nodded his head, "Okay. Bye, Don."

"Bye, son," Don answered, and watched as the couple left.

Somehow, he was sad to watch them go.

* * *

Elliot dropped the last bag onto the floor, and collapsed onto the couch, letting his head fall into Olivia's lap, "That's it. We're officially moved in."

She smiled, running her hand though his hair, "Yeah. Now we have to unpack all this stuff."

He groaned in protest, "No tonight. Tomorrow."

She sighed, "Okay, but just because I really want to cuddle."

He sat up, and pulled her into his arms, "Good," he whispered."

She snuggled into him, and idly played with the fabric of his t-shirt, "Guess what?"

"What?" he asked.

She raised her head to kiss his lips, and whispered, "I love you."

"I love you, too," he answered, laying against the cushions, pulling her close.

She kissed him gently, and he responded. It was sweet and gentle; a comfort kiss. When they broke apart, she rested her head against his chest and he rubbed her back gently.

"I think... I think I might go see my dad tomorrow," he said softly.

"We were just there, weren't we, baby?" she asked, resting her hand on his chest.

"Not Don," he told her, "Joe."

She sat up, "Joe? Are you sure?"

He sighed shakily, "Not really. But I think I should."

Olivia nodded her head, "Okay. If you think you should... do you want me to come with you?"

He smiled softly at her, "I don't think so. This is something that I have to do on my own."

"Okay," she answered, giving him a kiss.

They sat there for a while longer, just enjoying being with each other, alone in their new apartment. Elliot yawned, and she smiled softly at him, "Time for bed?"

He nodded, and they got up, heading into the bedroom.

* * *

Elliot sighed as he put his truck in park in front of the Stabler house. He rubbed his hands over his jeans, and shoved his hands into his leather jacket as he headed up to the front door. He shook his head, and took a deep breath as he knocked on the door. He was here, this was happening, and he had to man up.

When the door opened, it was Joe. He looked at his son, and then said, "Hi, Elliot. Come in."

"Thanks," he answered as he followed Joe into the kitchen and sat down.

"So, what's up?" Joe asked. He was trying to think of something to say to Elliot, trying to be nice, but he was drawing a blank. He was realizing that he didn't even really know his son.

"We have to talk," he said, folding his hands on the table, "I have, um... a few things that I need to get off my chest."

Joe sighed. He should have seen this coming... he should have known that they were going to have to talk, and that it wasn't going to be easy, "Okay."

"First I have to know why," he said, "I have to know why you... beat me like that for so long."

Joe shook his head, unable to think of anything he could say to explain what he had done. Finally, he said, "I know that I can't make excuses for what I did. I know that it was unacceptable. I had a hard job-"

"Don't even say that," Elliot interrupted, "Don had the same job as you, probably even worse, and he never laid a finger on me. You did."

"Like I said before... Don is better than I am," he answered, "I was stressed out a lot, I didn't know how to deal with my emotions... so I took them out on you when I shouldn't have. I really am sorry, Elliot. You have to believe that."

Elliot ran a hand over his face, sighing, "I know you are. I wouldn't be here if I didn't think you were."

Joe nodded, "What else do you need to talk about then?"

Elliot took a deep breath, "It's different now, Dad. When I was a kid, if you hurt me, you hurt me. That's it. I'm not saying that it made it any better, but now it's not just me anymore. I have a lot to lose. I have Olivia, and eventually I'll have kids... I can't be worrying about you getting pissed off and hitting someone. Do you get where I'm coming from?"

"Yes," Joe answered, "I don't blame you for that."

Elliot nodded, "Good. As of now, I don't really trust you. If you want to be in my life, I have to be able to trust you."

"Okay, so how can I earn your trust back?" he asked.

"To be honest, I don't know," the younger man answered, "You'll have to come up with that one."

"I want to be a good father," Joe told him, "So far I've been a pretty shitty one, I know. But I want to change that. I'm going to anger management, I'm getting help... I am trying."

He nodded, somewhat impressed with that confession. He never thought that his father would seek out help like that... he had always thought Joe was too headstrong to admit that he actually needed help.

"Well, I'm glad you're doing that," he said, "That's a good thing."

They fell into silence for several minutes, until Joe finally spoke, "You're mother told me about the girl you're seeing. Olivia."

"What did she say?" Elliot asked.

Joe shrugged, "She told me that she's a nice girl. And that you want to marry her."

He nodded, "Well, what do you think about that?"

"Well, that's good for you. I'm glad," Joe told him, "I'd also like to meet her, if that's okay with you."

Elliot took a deep breath, "I'll tell you what. I'll talk to her about it, and if she wants to, we can go out to lunch or something. But if she doesn't... I won't push it."

Joe nodded, "That's fair."

"Good," he answered, "I should get going, though. Police Academy starts tomorrow."

"Police Academy?" Joe asked, "You're...?"

Elliot smiled slightly, "Mom didn't tell you that?"

"No," he answered, "I didn't know you wanted to be a cop."

"I want to be a detective," he answered, "Bye, Dad."

* * *

A/N: What do you guys think? Please review and let me know!


	40. Chapter 40

A/N: Sorry it took so long to update, guys. I was burnt out with all my stories for a while there. But I'm here now, and I have the next chapter!

* * *

The Police Academy reminded Elliot a lot of basic training. The only differences were that he wasn't in Marine fatigues and there wasn't a drill sergeant yelling in his face. So he did rather well, and he was even at the top of his class. He was more worried about Olivia than himself. He knew that he didn't need to be, though. She was doing pretty well for herself, too.

Since that day they talked, Elliot hadn't seen or spoken to Joe. It wasn't because he was avoiding the man, he was simply too busy to do much of anything. It was good, though, because it gave him a chance to think about their relationship. He'd come to the conclusion that yes, he was going to try and include Joe in his life, but he also promised himself that if there was even the slightest hint of trouble he would pull away. He truly didn't need any of the bullshit.

Graduation Day. Elliot remembered the other two important ones in his life... high school, Marine basic training... and now he was going to be a police officer. Him and the love of his life. She was next to him, and their hands were clasped together. He looked up at the crowd watching them, and smiled when he saw Don and his mother looking at them. Then there was Joe, sitting on the opposite side of Bernie, arms crossed. He wasn't sure of the emotion in his father's eyes... wasn't sure whether he was proud, or hated the idea of having a cop for a son. Either way, though, he didn't care. He was here, and he worked hard. It had to be one of the best days of his life. And hopefully later, when he gave Olivia the little box in his pocket, it would be even better.

When the program finished, Elliot and Olivia turned to each other and hugged tightly, "We made it," he said in her ear, smiling widely.

She smiled back, kissing his lips, "I know. I love you."

"Hey!" they heard from the crowd, "You two stop giving each other the googly eyes so we can congratulate you."

It was Don, Bernie and Joe. Elliot gave Don and his mother a hug, then after an awkward moment, shook Joe's hand.

"Congratulations, son," Don said, squeezing Elliot's shoulder, "I'm proud of you."

"Thanks, D-" he had almost called him dad... right in front of his real dad. He was sure that it wouldn't have gone down well in front of Joe... He gave a nod, and repeated, "Thanks."

"And congratulations to you, too, Olivia," Bernie said.

Elliot looked at her with love in his eyes, and grasped her hand. She smiled back at him, squeezing lightly.

"What do you say?" Joe began, "How about we all go out for dinner? My treat."

They all agreed, and exited the auditorium together. Thankfully, dinner was smooth, which made Elliot happy. He was worried about Don and Joe being together for an extended period of time... especially Joe... but they got along just fine. After dinner, he tried his best to slip he and Olivia away. His mother went along with it fine, and he was sure that she knew what he was planning on doing. It must have been mother's intuition.

They held hands as they walked down the street crowded with people, some just-graduated officers, others just normal folk out. Somehow they made their way into central park, perfect for his plans.

"You know what this reminds me of?" he asked as they sat down together on a bench.

"No, what?" she asked, leaning against him. His arm wrapped around her shoulders unconsciously.

"When I graduated from Basic Training," he answered, "That weekend we spent together."

She smiled, "That was fun."

"I know," he answered, "It was fun."

Her hand traveled upwards to the spot she knew his scar from the bullet from fighting was, and he felt her tremble. He knew... she was thinking about how close she had come to losing him.

He grabbed her hand, and squeezed it tightly, "You didn't lose me," he told her softly, "I came home. For you."

She looked up at him with her big brown eyes. They were glistening. He leaned forward to kiss her gently, "When I woke up... after I got thrown from the truck... I thought I was going to die. No, I knew I was going to die. I just laid there, waiting for it," he said softly, "Do you know what saved me that day?"

"No," she answered, "What?"

"You," he told her, "I thought of you and I knew I couldn't give up. Not yet, not without a fight. So I got up and I started walking. I had to come home... for you."

He saw the emotion in her eyes, knew that it was reflecting back in his own, and spoke, "I do everything for you now. You know that?"

"El..." she began, but he shook his head, quieting her.

"I love you; you're my life," his hand went into his pocket and closed around the little black box, but he didn't pull it out. Not yet. "I want to everything with you; I want to go to work with you, catch the bad guys with you... I want to have kids with you, and watch them grow... I want to grow old with you and become grandparents with you."

That's when he pulled out the box, "I know we're young, Liv... so damn young. But I know what I want. I want to spend my life with you," he flipped it open, showing her the beautiful ring that his grandmother had told him to give to the woman he loved. When he asked the next question, it came out in nothing but a whisper, "Will you marry me?"

He could see the tears in her eyes, and felt wetness in his own. She took his face in her hands and kissed him for all she was worth. His arms wrapped tightly around her, pulling her closer.

"Yes, El," she whispered. He smiled widely, and slipped the ring onto her finger, unbelieving. She had said yes.

Her arm wrapped around his neck, and she pulled him closer for another kiss. This one was long, passionate, and full of love.

"C'mon," he said after they had broken apart, standing up and grasping her hand.

"Where are we going?" she asked, standing with him.

"I'm taking my fiancee home," he answered. Olivia smiled, and wrapped her arm around him as they made their way back home. The day couldn't have gotten any better.


	41. Chapter 41

A/N: I'm on a roll here! Two chapters up. Hopefully the next one will be here soon. Also, I'm brainstorming for my next big one, so if you guys have any requests, feel free to PM me!

* * *

Sunlight was leaking in through the window. Olivia opened her eyes slowly, and smiled at what she saw. There he was, her new fiancé, his face mere inches away from hers. He was still fast asleep. She leaned forward, pressed a few kisses to the top of his bare chest, but he didn't stir, just smiled a bit in his sleep.

She kissed his neck, and his jawbone, prickly with morning stubble, then his lips. She knew the second he woke up. He was surprised for a moment, then leaned into the kiss, responding almost eagerly.

"Good morning," he said, smiling at her.

"Good morning to you," she answered, wrapping her arm around his waist. He lifted her other hand, the hand that wore his ring, and kissed the metal gently, gazing up into her eyes.

She pulled him closer, her heart swelling with love for him, "I love you."

"And I love you," he answered.

"You better," she said, grinning as she elbowed him lightly in the ribs.

Elliot laughed, squeezing her gently, "Yeah, yeah. You better love me, too, you know."

She nuzzled his neck and kissed it gently, "I do."

He sighed, rolling onto his back, "I have to work tonight. It kinda sucks, me being on nights and you on days..."

She rested her chin on his shoulder, and nodded, "I know. But that's alright... I bet it won't be for long."

"I hope not," he answered, and they drifted into silence.

Olivia buried her head into his shoulder, wrapping herself closer to him, and both of his arms made their way around her.

They laid just like that for a long while, cuddled close together, enjoying each other's company. Suddenly, his phone started to ring, making them both jump. He reluctantly picked it up, and was surprised when he flipped it open and it read 'Joe' as the incoming call.

"Hello?" he said into the receiver, sitting up slowly.

Olivia sat up as well, and got out of bed, picking up the shirt he had been wearing the day before and slipping it on. She picked up their clothes, which had been thrown carelessly about the previous night, and tossed them into the hamper, paying no mind to the conversation that he was having over his cellphone. If it was important, he would tell her.

She back down on the bed just as he was flipping the phone shut.

"Who was it?" she asked.

"Joe," he answered, "I... have lunch plans with him for today."

"That's good, El," she said.

He nodded, smiling a bit, "He really is trying... I can give him that. But..."

"But what?" she asked softly, "You're worried he's going to try and hurt you again?"

He shook his head, "No, I'm not worried about me. I'm worried about... my mom. You. Our kids, eventually. If he hurts one of you..."

"I can take care of myself," she told him, "He's never hurt your mom before, and you said he was trying. When we do have kids... we can judge it together, El. We won't have to leave them alone with him unless we trust him completely."

He looked at her, and smiled, "I love you. You're always my voice of reason."

She smiled back at him, and rubbed his back gently, "I know. Now I'm going to run us a nice hot bath and you can get ready for lunch with your dad."

And that's what they did. They shared a bath together, and Elliot dressed in a casual pair of jeans.

"What are you gonna do while I'm gone?" he asked Olivia.

She shrugged, "I dunno, I guess I'll get my housewife on and clean this place. It's getting pretty messy."

He pulled her into a hug, "Alright. Leave some for me though, okay? I don't want you doing all the work around here."

She kissed him, "You're sweet. It's okay, though, I really don't have anything else to do."

"I'm insisting," he told her, "Leave me the laundry. I can't screw that up, can I?"

"You can, actually," she said, a mischievous sparkle in her eye, "Very easy, actually."

"Oh, hush," he told her, "I've been doing my laundry for what, ten years? I can handle it."

"Okay," she answered, "I'll leave you the laundry then. Try and have fun with your dad, though, okay?"

"I'll try," he said, "Can't promise you anything though. You know him."

She gave a chuckle, and nodded, "I guess so."

He leaned forward to kiss her goodbye, "See you later."

"Bye."

* * *

Elliot pulled into the parking lot of the diner Joe said that they would meet at, and got out, shoving his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket, the same one that he had worn the day he had first spoken with Joe... sighing, he leaned against the bed of the truck, looking for the car that belonged to his father.

"Hi, Elliot."

It came from behind him, surprising him. When he turned, Joe was there.

"Dad," he answered, and they walked towards the restaurant together.

Their waitress seated them, took their drink order and their meal order before they said anything else to each other. Elliot was waiting for Joe to speak, and Joe had no idea what he was supposed to say... it was quite awkward.

"Your mother and I went home last night and all's she could talk about was you and Olivia," Joe stated finally, "Does she know something that I don't?"

Elliot chuckled at his mother's antics... how in the world did she know so much?

"I asked her to marry me last night after we parted ways. That's what I was planning, and she knew it. I don't know how... but she knew it."

Joe nodded, taking a sip of his drink, showing no emotion, "Did she say yes?"

The thought made him smile unconsciously, "Yeah. She said yes."

That's when Joe smiled as well, "Congratulations. You two make a fine couple."

"Thanks," the younger man answered, looking into his soda thoughtfully, "Yeah, I love her a lot."

Joe nodded his head, "Good."

Their food came, and Elliot took a healthy bite of his burger, "So...is there something you wanted to talk to me about?"

Joe shook his head, "Just wanted to spend some time together. You know, since we haven't really..."

"No, I know," he said, looking down at his food, "So... how's it going?"

"I can't complain," Joe answered, "When do you start up work?"

"Tonight, actually," Elliot said.

He chuckled, "They stuck you on the night shift?"

"Yeah, they did," he answered, "On the beat... I won't be there for long though."

"What do you mean?" Joe asked, eyebrows furrowing.

Elliot shrugged, "I told you, I want to be a detective. I'm not getting closer to that by staying on the beat, am I?"

"I guess not," he said, surprised by his son's determination. He never realized...

"I really am sorry that I wasn't there for you, Elliot," he said seemingly out of the blue, "I heard what an awful time you had when you were still a teenager... and then joining the military, getting tossed into war... I wish I could've been there."

Elliot shrugged, looking down at his meal, "I had Don. And you're here now, that's what matters."

They finished eating in relative silence, and the bill came. Joe grabbed it, "Don't worry, I've got it."

"I'll pay for mine," Elliot said, pulling out his wallet and opening it.

Joe's eyebrows furrowed. He saw right through his son. He shrugged, speaking, "Alright. You can pay for mine, then, too."

Elliot's head snapped up, and the hand holding his wallet slowly dropped. Joe smiled, and placed the money down on the table, "C'mon, son, I want to take you somewhere."

"Okay," he answered.

They walked out of the building, and followed him out to his car.

"Where are we going?" Elliot asked as they got in.

Joe shook his head, "You'll see when we get there."

Elliot sat back, watching out the window as they drove. It was a short drive, and when he saw the familiar surroundings around him, he couldn't help the smile. He knew where they were going.

The car stopped, and he was greeted with the dirt path that he had walked down not too long ago. The lake where they had gone fishing, and where he had came to try and sort everything out.

He got out of the car, and Joe stood next to him as they walked down the path together. Elliot was immediately thrown into a flashback... rushing to keep up with a younger version of his father, then sitting on his broad shoulder.

They reached the lake, and just looked at it together in silence.

"This is..."

"I know," Elliot answered, "I... I never forgot."

Joe smiled, placing a hand on the back of his neck and squeezing gently, "Want to tell me about what I missed?"

Elliot looked at him for a long time, trying to decide what motives that he would have, why he would want to know... then realized why. So he sat down on a grassy spot next to his dad, starting from the moment Joe had gone to prison right up to the present, he told him everything.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading. Now FanFiction has made it easier than ever to review to stories, so expect twice the reviews! I love hearing from you guys!


	42. Chapter 42

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews! Here's the next chapter.

* * *

Elliot walked into the apartment, and smiled when he saw Olivia, sitting on the couch reading a book. She set it down when she heard him close the door, "Hey."

"Hi," he answered, moving to sit next to her on the couch.

"How did it go?" she asked.

Elliot just looked at her for a moment, and nodded his head slowly, "Good. Really good."

He remembered the look on Joe's face when he had finished speaking. He left out nothing when Joe had asked, not even the emotion that he felt when he realized that his father was getting out of prison. And Joe had promised him that he would never make Elliot feel like that again. He had promised that he would try his absolute hardest to finally be a good father. And much to his own surprise, Elliot believed him. Then, right before they left the lake to head their separate ways, they had promised that what was said at the lake stayed at the lake.

Olivia smiled, and nodded, "That's great, El."

He smiled, wrapping his arm around her shoulders, "He's finally being a real dad to me, Liv. I finally have my father."

"I"m happy for you," she answered, "But what about Don? He's been your dad, too."

"I know," Elliot said, "Of course he has. He still is."

They spent the rest of their day relaxing. They watched a few movies, cuddled close, and ate dinner together before Elliot had to get up and start getting ready for work.

"I am going to miss you in bed tonight," Olivia admitted as she watched him pull on his dark blue, police-issue coat.

"I know," he answered, pulling her in for a hug, "I will too. But it's alright."

"Good luck," she said, kissing him gently, "See you in the morning."

"See you," he answered, and made his way out of the apartment.

* * *

A few hours later, he was sitting in a squad car next to a seasoned patrolman who was supposed to be the one to train him. He'd introduced himself as Jack, and was actually pretty friendly. He'd asked Elliot what he'd done before the Academy, and Elliot told him about being in the service, and about being injured. When Jack asked him why he wanted to be a cop, he was stuck... he wasn't sure what to say. So, he stated simply, "Personal reasons." And Jack had left it at that.

Now they were silent. Elliot was sitting in the passenger seat, trying his best not to fall asleep. He was sure Jack noticed it, because he pulled into a convenience store and came out with two cups of coffee. He handed Elliot one, saying, "Here. Your new best friend."

He had never liked coffee. But he took the cup anyway to be polite, and took a sip, and it actually wasn't that bad. So he took another, hoping that it would help keep him awake.

And it did. He didn't have as much trouble for the rest of the night. They didn't have much action that night, just a couple of B&Es and suspicious activity that turned out to be nothing that they could see.

And the sun rose, and Elliot's first shift as a police officer was over. Jack told him that he did well for his first night, and that he would see him later. When he arrived home, Olivia was busily getting ready for her own shift. He sighed, wishing that he got to sleep with her in his arms like they had grown so accustomed to.

When she noticed him standing in the doorway, she smiled and reached out to him, hugging him, "Good morning. How was it?"

"Good," he answered, giving her a smile. The coffee that he drunken throughout the night had not worn off, so he knew he was going to make it for a little while longer before he was going to be able to sleep.

"How about breakfast?" she asked, "I made your favorite."

He gave her a gentle kiss, and nodded, smiling, "That sounds good."

She guided him into the kitchen, where a meal was waiting for him. She piled a plate with strawberry pancakes, eggs, bacon and various other good-looking fruit for him, and set it down at the table.

"Wow," he said, taking the fork that she handed him, "Liv, this looks great."

She kissed him cheek, "Thank you. Now eat up. I have to leave in a little while."

He took a bite, and it made him realize just how hungry he was. She laughed at how he was shoveling the food into his mouth like it was his last meal.

"Liv, this is amazing," he said between mouthfuls, "Aren't you going to have some?"

She sipped at her coffee, and shook her head, "I already did before you came home."

He nodded, and returned to his meal. Soon, the entire plate was clean and the glass of orange juice she poured him was empty. She collected the dishes for him, much to his chagrin, and kissed his lips once again, "I have to get going."

He nodded, standing up to give her a hug, "Good luck. I know you'll do great."

"Thanks, El," she said, squeezing him a little tighter.

"No problem," he answered, rubbing her back a little, "Now get out there and show them what you got."

She smiled as they broke apart, "I will. See you tonight."

"See you tonight," he answered, smiling at her. He watched her make her way out of the apartment, and then made his way into the living room and plopped onto the couch. That didn't last long, though, because he was tired and wanted to sleep. So he walked into the bedroom, changed out of his uniform and crawled into the nice, warm bed. He was asleep within minutes.

* * *

He awoke quite some time later. The light on his phone was flashing, and when he picked it up, the time read 3:34 PM. There was a text message waiting for him, from Joe:

_Hey, Elliot. Didn't know what time you would be up so I sent this. Just wanted to know when your days off were. Wanted to know if you would go fishing on the lake. Got myself a canoe yesterday. Text back when you get the chance_

_Dad_

The last word in the text made him feel the most. He'd signed a text message to him Dad. It was small, almost meager, but in Elliot's eyes, it was huge. He opened a new message, and typed back;

_Hey, Dad. Just woke up, night shift took a lot out of me. Fishing sounds great. I'm off Friday night and Saturday night, so Saturday morning would be great. you bring the bait, I'll bring the beers._

_Elliot_

The reply back was quick, which somewhat surprised Elliot:

_Sounds like a plan. You know what I like. See you Saturday morning at the lake, seven sharp. _

Elliot shot a quick positive reply, and fell back against the pillows. This was working out much better than he had ever expected. They were making plans. Fishing and drinking beers like a normal father and son. Like he and Don would do.

He knew that he should probably still be on his guard about Joe. He knew that there was still a chance that he could turn out to hurt someone again. But he couldn't help hope that he felt. Joe was being a father to him and he loved it.

* * *

A/N: I know that the past couple chapters have been a little shorter than you guys have come to expect from me, but I'm trying my best. Unlike with most of my other stories where I write the majority of it before I post it, I'm writing from scratch right now. I know where I want to go, but I don't know how to get there. So if you have anything that you want to see from this story, then just give me a review of what you want!

And I'm still brainstorming, so requests are totally welcome!


	43. Chapter 43

A/N: Thanks for the love, guys. Don't worry, we have more drama coming soon... haha. Enjoy the next chapter!

* * *

The doorbell rang a while later. Elliot, who was already dressed and had just been hanging out, went to it, and smiled when he saw Don on the other side, "Hey, Dad. What's up?"

He stepped to the side to let the older man in, who replied, "Nothing much. Just came by to see how you did your first shift."

They walked into the living room and sat. Elliot replied, "Not too bad. The whole nights thing took a lot out of me, but I don't think it'll be too bad."

"Good," Don answered, "How does Olivia feel about opposite shifts?"

"She understands," Elliot answered, "I mean, it's our first job, so trying to make a good impression is the most important thing to both of us right now. Hopefully soon we'll be on the same shift."

"I have no doubt about that," Don answered, "I know you. You're going to get what you want quick. Just keep up the good work."

"Don't worry, I will," Elliot answered.

"I know," Don said, "Hey, I know your off on Saturday, how about I treat you to lunch? To celebrate your first week of being an officer."

Elliot remembered his recently made plans, and shook his head, "Sorry, I'd like to, but I made plans with Joe for Saturday."

Don deflated a little, but put on a happy face, "Oh, really? That's good. You two are getting along good, then?"

"Yeah," Elliot answered, "He's trying really hard. It's actually strange seeing him like this, after, you know..."

Don nodded his head, "I know. Just remember to be careful, though, alright? I don't want you to get hurt again. That's the last thing that I want."

Elliot nodded almost thoughtfully, "Yeah, I know. I just... it really doesn't seem like it's going to happen again, you know? He's a different person now."

"Trust me, Elliot. I see this sort of thing all the time. Sometimes it works out, sometimes everything is fine. But other times... the abusive part is too strong. I don't want you to get hurt if it doesn't work."

Elliot wanted to be mad at Don for saying that, Joe definitely has changed... but a part of him knew that the older man was right. Joe most certainly had hurt him a lot throughout the years. What made this time any different?

He was trying harder than he ever had. He was going to therapy, he knew that what he had done was wrong. Elliot had to give him that. And he had fun with Joe now. He really did.

"Alright, well, just wanted to stop by and see how you were doing. I should get going," Don stated, getting up, telling that the younger man needed to think about everything, "I'll talk to you later, okay?"

"Okay," Elliot said, getting up to walk him to the door, "Talk to you later then."

Don left without another word, and Elliot sighed as he walked back into the living room, scratching at the back of his head. Thoughts of Joe and Don filled his thoughts. His birth father, and the man that he had grown to love as a young adult. The man that he looked up to, that he respected immensely... his dad. Not by blood, but by love, admiration and respect. He had two fathers. He called them both Dad. The only difference was that one, he trusted without question and knew would never hurt him. The other... well, the other he wasn't so sure about.

His thoughts then turned to Olivia, the woman that he loved with all of his heart. He missed her. He knew that it sounded ridiculous, they had only been separated for a few hours, but he missed her. This opposite shifts thing was going to take more out of him than he expected. He really hoped that it wouldn't stay this way for long.

* * *

After a long while of sitting on the couch watching TV, the door opened, and he heard her voice, "I'm home!"

"Hey," he answered, setting down the remote. As soon as she was within arm's reach, he pulled her down onto his lap, holding her close to him.

She laughed, wrapping her arm around him, "Well, I'm happy to see you, too."

He chuckled into her shoulder, and leaned forward, kissing her softly, "How was work?"

"Good," Olivia answered, running a hand through his hair, which she just noticed was growing out pretty far from the short cut that she was used to, "I think you're do for a haircut."

He chuckled, "And how do you know that I don't want to grow it out?"

She laughed back at him, "You haven't had your hair longer than this since high school. Why would that change now?"

"Yeah, you're right," he said after a moment, "I'll get a cut this week."

She kissed his lips, and stood, "I'm gonna change and then start dinner. Is there anything you want?"

He shook his head, "Not really. Surprise me."

Olivia smiled lovingly at him, and disappeared behind the door of the bedroom.

"Oh, by the way, I have plans with Joe this weekend," Elliot said as Olivia prepared their dinner.

"Oh, really? That's great," she answered, "You two are really getting close, aren't you?"

Elliot shrugged his shoulders, "I dunno. I'm just... trying to give him a chance, you know? Yeah, it might be going a little fast, but... I dunno, if it's going to happen, I would rather it happen now when you and I are young, when it's just the two of us."

She walked to him, and sat on his lap on the kitchen chair, wrapping her arm around him, "What do you mean, just the two of us?"

"Well, you know," Elliot said, his arm making it's way around her waist subconsciously, "When we have kids, if you want kids, I want them to either have their Grandpa Joe completely, or not have him. If he's going to do something... bad, then I want to get it over with now. Am I even making sense?"

"l understand," she answered, "But baby... just because he doesn't do something now, that doesn't mean he's never going to do anything. I'm not trying to make you think that you shouldn't see him... but I don't want you to get hurt if he does. I want you to know that you're taking a risk whichever way you go."

He moved her off of him, and stood up, walking to the window contemplatively. When he spoke, it was soft, "I just don't want to cut him out of my life and then end up regretting it later. If he's going to be here... I want to have him now while he is."

She moved to him, wrapping her arms around his waist and pressing a kiss to the back of his shoulder, "I know. But whatever happens, you'll have me and Don and your mom. You know that, right?"

Elliot nodded his head, turning towards her, "Yeah, I know."

"Okay, then. Come on, dinner's going to be ready in a minute and soon you're going to have to get ready to go."

They sat down at the table together, and ate quietly. Olivia put the dishes in the sink, and they made their way into the living room to watch TV and spend time together. The time passed too quickly though, and soon he had to get up and shower to get ready to go.

When he was dressed, he returned to Olivia and sat on the couch with her once more. She smiled at him, "Ready for your second shift?"

He shrugged, "I would rather spend the night with you... but it's okay. I suppose so."

"I would rather be with you, too," she answered, "But I know you're going to do great."

"Thanks, Liv," he said, and kissed her gently, "I guess I have to go now."

"I guess so."

They kissed one more time, and he was off to work once more.

* * *

This lasted for the rest of the week, Elliot arriving home and Olivia leaving, and vice versa. It took a toll on both of them, not getting to spend a lot of time together and not sleeping in the same bed together. But they got through the week, and got to spend Friday night together. So no, having opposite shifts wasn't as awful as they thought it would be. But it was still pretty bad.

They were laying in bed together late Friday night. Elliot had slept for a few hours that morning so he wouldn't be wide awake when he didn't have to go to work, so he lay with her, running a hand lightly over her clothed stomach, a mesmerized look on his face.

"El?" she asked, looking down at him.

"Hmm?" he answered, glancing up at her before returning his gaze to his hand and her stomach.

She shook her head, ever though he wasn't looking at her, "Nothing."

He looked up at her again, longer this time, and smiled, "When do you want to plan the wedding?"

It had come out of no where, she thought, and it had been the precise thing that she was thinking about. His smile grew a little wider when she saw the look on his face.

"I dunno," she answered, gazing at him, "It's June now... how about next May? It'll be warm, and nice... maybe we could even have it outside."

He smiled, scooting upwards, closer to her face, "That sounds great," and he kissed her,

"May, 2002."

"May, 2002," she repeated, and he rolled on top of her to make love.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading. The pot's starting to stir... can you guess what's going to happen soon?


	44. Chapter 44

A/N: Wow, okay. I'm like…. So sorry that it took me like… a year to update this story. I suck. Anyway, here's a chapter… for those of you that are still reading lol.

* * *

The canoe bobbed up and down gently on the water. The sounds of the two men casting and reeling in every so often were the only noises that could be heard on the lake that beautiful day.

Joe had tried several times to speak to his son, but each attempt had died pathetically in his throat. He wasn't good at talking to Elliot at all.

The younger man didn't really mind. He picked up the can of beer that was resting between his thighs, took a swig, and replaced it, reeling in his line just a bit. He couldn't believe how long it had been since he had gone fishing. He would have to take Don along sometime.

His mind panged with guilt as he thought about the captain. He was supposed to be putting his energy towards his relationship with Joe at the time… but it was impossible to think of the word father without thinking of Don.

"So how's work going?" It was the fourth time that Joe had asked the same question.

He answered it the same. "Good."

And there was silence again.

"How's Olivia?"

"Great."

"When am I going to see her again?"

"I don't know, I'll ask her."

"You like the job?"

"Yes."

"Not working nights so much, I bet."

"It'll be worth it eventually."

"You said you wanted to be a Detective, didn't you?"

"Uh huh."

"Like Cragen?"

"Yep."

Elliot felt a tug on his line, and he reeled in quickly. On the hook there was the same large bluegill sunfish that he swore he caught four other times. He grabbed the line, feeling Joe's eyes on him, and easily maneuvered the hook out of the fish's lip before tossing him back into the lake.

Joe chuckled. "I remember when you were little, you wouldn't even touch the fish. Said it was too slimy and gross."

"You always gave me shit about that," Elliot said. "Wouldn't let me go home until I unhooked it myself that one time."

_Then you slapped me across the face because it took too long._

"Shouldn't have done that," Joe mumbled. "It's getting late. Let's head back on in now."

The both reeled in their lines, and headed back to shore.

They walked across the parking lot silently. Elliot put both fishing rods into the canoe, which they had lifted back onto Joe's trailer, and shoved his hands into his pockets.

"You never told me why you wanted to be a detective," Joe said. "Or which squad you want to be in."

"I was to be in Special Victims," Elliot said hesitantly.

"Cragen's unit," Joe said. "Why?"

Elliot looked down at the pavement silently. He didn't want to answer that question.

"Why do you want to be in Special Victims?"

"I just do."

"Give me the truth."

Something flashed in Elliot's head. He recognized that tone. He knew it all too well. So he did what he had to do. He started to walk away, back towards his truck, throwing over his shoulder that he had to get back home to Olivia.

There was a hand on his arm, violently pulling him back. His mind flashed again. His heart rate skyrocketed.

"Do. Not. Touch. Me."

"Tell me why you want to be in SVU, Elliot."

"Because of you!" he exploded. Regret immediately drowned him.

Joe's fist came straight at his face.

The first of his actions were purely reflexive. He ducked out of the way and his fist collided with Joe's cheek. Then, realizing what the man had just done, Elliot couldn't control himself. He punched Joe again. And again. And again.

"_You're weak. You're a failure."_

"_Only pansies cry."_

"_I'll teach you to sneak out."_

"_Get your ass upstairs."_

"_Where do you think you're going?"_

"_Get out and stay out. I don't want to see your face around here again."_

"Who's the failure now, huh?" Blood poured from Joe's mouth and nose. Nothing could deter the young police officer. His eyes were moist with tears "_Huh? _Who's too weak to defend himself?"

_Suddenly, he couldn't breathe. Everything was clear again. Joe had him pinned up against the wall. One of his hands was wrapped around his neck, choking him. _

Joe groaned in pain. "Please…"

What Elliot was doing suddenly hit him, and he felt sick. His knuckles were covered with blood; whether it was Joe's or his, he wasn't sure. He stumbled backwards towards his truck.

"Elliot wait…"

"Fuck no. Stay the hell away from my family and me. It's _over. _I'm _done_."

He got into his truck, peeled away from the parking spot, and headed towards home. Along the way, tears started to stream down his cheeks.

Several hours later, he sat on the couch in the dark living room with a beer in his hand. He downed it, thought about reaching for another one, but the apartment flooded with light.

"Hey, El."

Olivia took a total of three steps into the apartment before she knew that there was something wrong. Her fiancé was sitting on the couch, empty beer bottle in his hands and a far off look in his eyes.

"What's the matter, baby?" she asked, sitting down beside him. "What happened? Something with Joe?"

Elliot nodded simply. Olivia finally noticed the red stains on his knuckles, and she knew. Her arms wrapped around him, she pulled him against his chest. "I'm so sorry."

"You were right," he rasped. "He'll never change."

"I didn't want to be right, El," she murmured, running her hand gently through his hair. "I was praying that I would be wrong."

"He tried to hit me again. He tried to hit me, and I couldn't control… I beat the hell out of him. I beat the hell out of him and just left him there…"

His body started to shake. She felt his tears on her shoulder, and tightened her arms around him. "Shh… you're okay. You don't need him, sweetheart. You have your mom and Don and me. You're going to be fine."

She hoped desperately that she was right.

* * *

P.S.: I wrote this chapter in about twenty minutes after realizing how much you guys loved the story and feeling terrible for leaving it like that. So please don't hate me. And don't worry; I remember exactly where I was going with it. Next chapter will be better haha. I've been working a lot over the past year with my writing, mostly with original work, and hopefully you'll be able to notice a difference in my writing (for the better lol). Let me know what you think!


	45. Chapter 45

A/N: Here's another chapter :)

* * *

It took a long time for Elliot to finally let Olivia go. He wiped his eyes, and she took his hand, guiding him into the bathroom. She made him sit down on the toilet, held a washcloth under warm water, and gently began to clean his knuckles. He watched her silently.

"You really tore yourself up, El," she said softly as his knuckles continued to ooze blood. She wrapped them gently with gauze, before kissing his forehead. "Are you hungry? Can I make you something to eat?"

He shook his head. "I'm not hungry."

"How about some water?"

"I'm not thirsty."

"Do you just want to be close?"

He looked up at her, and nodded gratefully. She smiled back at him, held out her hand, and guided him into their bedroom. She wrapped her arms around him comfortingly and pressed gentle kisses to the side of his face. He relaxed into her touch and let her take care of him.

"He promised he wouldn't try to hurt me again," Elliot whispered. "How could he go back on it like this?"

"He just couldn't control himself," Olivia answered gently. "It wasn't your fault. That's just the person that he is, nothing will ever change that."

"Bastard deserves to still be in jail."

"I know, baby," she said. "Try no to think about it too much or it will drive you crazy. Just rest for now."

He nodded silently, and let his eyes close.

Elliot awoke to her. He smiled slightly, ran his hands gently through her hair, making sure that she was truly there. Her eyes opened, and she smiled back at him. "How did you sleep?"

"Fine," he answered, brushing her hair behind her ear so he could see her beautiful face.

"That's good."

He nodded, bringing her tightly against his chest. He whispered directly into her ear, "Thank you, Liv."

Olivia looked up at him, and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. "'S what I'm here for, El."

Taking a deep breath, he nodded and sat up, back to her. She wrapped her arms around him from behind. Her chin rested on his shoulder. "El? You want to talk about it?"

Elliot shook his head. "I want to go see Don."

"We'll go see Don then."

Don opened his front door, and smiled when he saw the two young people. "Hey, guys. Come on in."

They walked in and sat down in the living room before Don noticed the gauze on Elliot's fists and the glaze in his eyes. "What happened?"

Olivia squeezed Elliot's hand, and he sighed. "Went out with Joe yesterday afternoon. He… tried to hit me."

"Elliot, I'm so sorry," Don said.

"I beat the hell out of him," Elliot hunched, staring at the floor. He chuckled darkly. "I… I beat on him like he beat on me."

The captain stood, squeezed Elliot's shoulder, squatting in front of him. "Elliot, look at me."

He didn't. His hands covered his face; his breathing was heavy.

"Look at me."

He finally raised his eyes to Don's face. "This is not your fault, Elliot. Joseph Stabler is an unstable, abusive man. And unfortunately, there's nothing that anyone, even you, can do to change him."

"I thought I could," he said, tears in his voice. "I thought he had changed… he seemed like… like he had changed."

"I know he did. It's okay," Don took a breath, "He assaulted a police officer. You want me to get someone to pick him up?"

There was confusion in Elliot's eyes. It took a moment for him to shake his head. "No, no. It's… it's fine."

"Are you sure?"

Elliot nodded. "Yes."

"Why not, El?" Olivia asked. "You said yourself you wished he was still in prison."

He scrubbed his face. "I know I did. But I'm not stooping to his level again. I already did it once, it's not going to happen again."

"You did what you had to do, Elliot," Dons said.

He chucked darkly. "You didn't see him when I was through."

Don squeezed his shoulder again. "I can imagine."

Elliot got into the cruiser next to Jack, holding a cup of coffee.

"Evening," Jack greeted, pulling away from the curb.

Elliot took a long sip of coffee. "Evening."

"How're you doing?" Jack asked.

Elliot chuckled darkly. "Get back to me in a couple of hours."

Jack snickered as well, and Elliot glanced at him. The older officer really had no idea what he was talking about, or what he was going through. Elliot didn't mind. He actually preferred it this way. Less questions, less pitiful looks.

They got a call early that night. When they arrived at the apartment, the door was open. Jack and Elliot pulled out their guns, walked inside. A man was gripping a younger boy's shirt, slapping him across the face again and again.

Elliot grabbed the man and threw him to the ground, punching him in the face. And again. And again.

"Elliot, get off him!" Jack yelled, yanking the back of his shirt. His heart was racing. His eyes were moist. His hands were shaking. He turned to the boy, who looked to be ten or eleven. He was cowering in the corner, tears in his eyes.

"Hey. Are you okay?" he asked.

"Who-who are you?"

"My name's Elliot. I'm a police officer," Elliot said. "C'mon. Why don't you come with us?"

"What the hell was that, Elliot?" Jack asked. They were in the precinct, in one of the interview rooms alone. After they brought in the man and his son, Jack had grabbed his arm and pulled him into the interview room.

He dropped into the chair, sighing heavily. "Don't worry about it. It's nothing."

"It sure as hell isn't nothing, Elliot. If I'm going to have your back, you're going to have to tell me what the hell happened."

Elliot scrubbed his face. "You want to know why I'm in the force?"

Jack nodded.

Elliot hesitated. "My old man beat on me when I was younger. He went to prison for it when I was sixteen."

"I'm sorry, Elliot," Jack said.

He shook his head. "Don't worry about it. Seriously."

Jack pat him on the back. "I've got your back, man."

Elliot walked into his apartment, exhausted. He toed off his shoes, hung his jacket and headed into the bedroom.

Olivia smiled when she saw him already in bed. She leaned down and kissed his forehead. "Morning, El."

He grunted in response, closing his eyes.

"Something wrong?"

"Beat up a perp last night," he rumbled. "Abusing his son."

Her hand ran through his hair. "Are you okay?"

He nodded, eyes closing. He felt her kiss his forehead. She said something else to him, but his mind was hazy with sleep. He was gone before she had a chance to say anything else.

She kissed him, ran her hand through his hair, and made her way out of the apartment.

When Elliot awoke, it was afternoon. He dressed, got into his car, and headed towards Manhattan.

The 1-6 was bustling when he walked inside. He headed straight to the captain's office and sat down.

"I already know," Cragen said, looking up from his paperwork.

"Word travels fast."

"Are you okay, Elliot?"

He nodded. "I'll be fine."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. I just wanted to come by."

"You want to talk?"

Elliot shook his head, leaning back in the chair. "No. Not really."

Don nodded, looked at him for a moment before turning back to his work. "I talked with your captain. He's planning on switching you to six to twos."

"Really? You… you didn't say anything to him, did you?"

"Of course not," the captain said. "You're a great cop, Elliot. Greene recognizes it. He said starting at the end of July. Jack's moving with you."

Elliot smiled slightly, and nodded. "Wow. That's great."

Don smiled back at him. "Moving up in the world, Elliot. You'll make detective before you know it."

He chuckled. "I don't know about that, Don. At twenty-three? I've got a long way to go."

Cragen shrugged. "You keep going in the direction your in now, you'll be surprised."

Elliot looked down at his hands, nodding. In his heart, he hoped more than anything that the captain was right.

* * *

A/N: Please review!


	46. Chapter 46

Elliot and Jack were sitting in their cruiser, sipping on their coffee in lower Manhattan early Tuesday morning. The date on the calendar said _September 11__th_when they left the precinct that morning. Jack had parked the cruiser in a spot along Liberty Street. They could see the huge buildings of the World Trade Center through the windshield.

Elliot sipped at his coffee, and yawned. He was finally on day shifts, but waking up by four to get to work by six was a bitch. Jack flipped the radio through stations, searching for something good to listen to.

"Are you going to pick something and stick with it, or flip through the channels all day?" Elliot asked.

"Bored as hell," Jack said. "Wish we would get some action soon."

"Careful what you wish for," he said, taking another sip of his coffee.

"Come on, man. I'll settle for anything."

Elliot leaned his head back against the seat, and looked up at the sky. His eyes followed a low-flying plane above them. His eyebrows furrowed. "Hey, Jack, does that plane look too low to you?"

Jack's eyes rose, and he nodded. "Way too low. What the hell are they doing?"

"I don't know, but it looks like… Jack, the plane's going to hit…"

Elliot watched the plane in horror. It hit the trade center. A fireball exploded through the building and the plane disintegrated as it went, roaring fire and smoke in it's wake.

"FUCK!" Jack threw on the sirens and screeched away from the curb, "Elliot, call it in now!"

He did as Jack asked, heart racing. Cars were parked on the side of the road, people were getting out of their cars, looking at what happened. Jack laid on the horn. "Come on, get the fuck out of the way!"

They reached the scene, and Elliot jumped out of the car while it was still rolling. "I'm going in, Jack!" he yelled.

"Careful, Elliot!"

Elliot sprinted full speed towards the building. The fire alarms were already sounding as Elliot entered. People were crowded inside.

"NYPD!" Elliot shouted. "Everybody out! The building's been hit!"

Elliot started pushing people out, but they didn't any encouragement. People pushed by him. A shoulder landed in his gut, knocking the wind out of him. There were hands on his shoulders, "Elliot!"

It was Jack. The older officer pointed towards the stairs. "Come on! I'll radio in!"

They ran towards the stairs, Jack screaming into the radio. "Young and Stabler on the scene evacuating the building!"

"10-4, Young and Stabler. FDNY and back-up en route."

"Looks like we're on our own for a while." Jack shouted.

Elliot was deaf to Jack's words. Something strange was happening to him as he ran up the stairs. He wasn't in a building anymore, he was in the deserts of the Middle East, he was in Marine fatigues, and he was at war.

They ran through the second floor, helping evacuation. They went up to the third, then fourth, then fifth.

"We've got to get up further!" Jack shouted. "We've got to get to the hit floors!"

Elliot didn't need to be told twice. They ran to the staircase, running up towards the danger. When they walked through the floor, it was burning. There were few people still remaining.

They walked through the office quietly. Gibberish was being spurt through the radio on Jack's hip. The building rumbled. Suddenly, a scream cut through the building. Both Elliot and Jack made their way through the overturned desks and papers towards the source of the noise. They turned the corner, and saw a young woman. Her head was oozing blood and her leg was pinned under an overturned desk.

There were tears in her eyes. Jack and Elliot ran to her, and Elliot kneeled beside her. "It's okay. We're police officers, we're going to get out of there."

"Please," she cried. "It hurts so much…"

"Elliot, help me with this desk," Jack said.

He moved from the woman, grabbed the other end of the desk, and they lifted it off of her. She slid out from under it, and they dropped the desk back onto the floor. Elliot scrambled over to her, and helped her to her feet. "Can you walk?"

She nodded as the two men walked her towards the staircase. The building rumbled again, and the floor started to give way. Jack uttered a sound of surprise as he fell through. Elliot lunged towards his partner, hit the deck, and grabbed his partner's arms. He yelled in pain as his shoulders popped.

"I've got you, Jack," he rasped. "Hold on."

Jack's grip tightened around Elliot's arms, but they heard a groan, a crack, and the floor gave out from under him. Nothing was under him but air. He flailed his arms and legs. Pain exploded through his body as he slammed against the floor. His breath was knocked from his lungs. He heard a crack.

"Jack…"

There was no one around him. The world spun. He closed his eyes, and knew no more.

When he awoke, his head was pounding. He looked around, and realized with a wave of horror where he was and what was happening. He needed to get out of there. He pushed himself to his feet, and the pain brought tears to his eyes.

He stumbled towards the staircase, and started downwards, grasping the railing tightly. Metallic tang filled his mouth, and he spit, horrified when he saw that it was blood.

He missed a step, and tumbled down the staircase, groaning all the way. His eyes finally opened when he stopped moving. He slowly rolled to his feet, and continued down, becoming desperate.

The staircase ended. He saw the entrance of the building, sweet escape, and stumbled towards it. The building rumbled again. He moved faster towards it, made it out and stumbled away from the Trade Center. When he looked up, his eyes widened. The entire building was collapsing. He moved faster, tried to run, but pain exploded through his head. Everything went black.

When he came to, his whole body was in pain. He groaned, tried to open his eyes, but they wouldn't open. He was moving… someone was carrying him. "It's going to be okay, Elliot. Just hold on."

He was laying on something. He could barely breath; all's that came out were choking gasps. His chest was on fire. Something came over his face, and it was easier.

Someone squeezed his hand. He heard voices, far away voices, but couldn't decipher what they were saying. He recognized one of them… but whom did it belong to?

Finally, he came to full consciousness. The pain had ebbed, but it was still present. He looked around, and saw his family surrounding him; Olivia, Don and Bernie. They all looked solemn.

"'S going on?" he mumbled. There was a mask over his mouth and nose.

"Elliot," Olivia breathed, squeezing his hand. "Thank God you're awake."

"Dad? Mom?" he asked. "What happened?"

Don cleared his throat, scooting his seat closer to the bed Elliot was laying in. "Son… you don't remember anything?"

"I-I was with Jack, on duty…" he stammered. "We-we didn't get a call, but… sirens, and then… a plane…"

Don pursed his lips, staring downwards, unable to look Elliot in the eyes. "What the hell happened, Don?"

Finally, his gaze rose. "Terrorists attacked the World Trade Center, Elliot. Both towers collapsed."

His mind raced. He remembered everything, and he felt sick. He sat up, despite the pleas from his family, ripped the mask off, and vomited into the trashcan by the bed. Olivia's soothing hand rubbed his back. She didn't say anything, but she didn't need to.

Elliot wiped his mouth, gasping for air. He couldn't breath. How could this happen? How could… suddenly, he really couldn't breathe. Panic set in. He gasped, choked, hunched over. His chest was on fire. His fists grasped the sheet on the bed tightly. He was going to die. He couldn't get the air into his lungs.

Don lunged forward, slammed the mask over his face again, and Elliot grabbed Don's wrist tightly. Relief came slowly. The captain spoke soothingly. "That's it, Elliot. Breathe. Relax or you're going to kill yourself. Lay back. There you go."

Olivia snapped the bands of the mask back around Elliot's head gently, then ran her head through his hair. "That's it, sweetie. Just breathe."

The fire in his chest hadn't let up. His whole body was burning in pain now. He couldn't move, couldn't speak. Bernie saw the pain in her son's eyes. "Get a doctor."

The pain was too much. He clenched his eyes closed, tightened his grip on Don's wrist. It felt like someone was taking a jackhammer to his skull. A nurse came in, holding a bin in her hands. She drew something up in a needle, injected it into his I.V., and he heard. "The pain will let up in a moment."

"Here that, El? Hang in there, just for a minute and it'll go away. Just relax."

The promise was kept. After a long, dreadful moment, the fire slowly dissipated like the tide going back out to sea. His grip on Cragen's wrist loosened, and then disappeared all together. His eyes opened and he looked around again. The nurse was gone.

"Relax, honey," Olivia said soothingly. "You're really hurt."

"What happened to me?" he rasped.

"Rubble," Don said. "You made it out of the building, but when the towers came down, you were nearly buried in it. You've been out for days."

"How many?" Elliot asked.

"Six."

_"Six?"_

Don nodded. "You were halfway gone when we got you here, Elliot."

"Shit…" Elliot murmured. The mask was really getting on his nerves, but he knew that he couldn't take it off. His eyes closed halfway, but they shot open again as a thought hit him. "Jack! Where is he?"

The three people sitting around him all looked at each other. Elliot's heart sank. "He's… he's dead?"

"No," Don answered. "Not yet, but he's in critical condition. The chances aren't good, Elliot."

Emotional agony shot through him. He scrubbed his face. "Shit… I need to see him."

"You're in rough shape yourself, Elliot," Bernie said. "You need to stay in bed and rest."

"Mom…"

"She's right, El," Olivia said, squeezing his hand. "You're too hurt to go anywhere right now. You can't even breathe on your own."

"He's my partner," Elliot said. "I need to see him."

"Elliot Joseph," Bernie said sternly. "You are going to stop carrying on right now and rest."

"Mom-

"Shush. Go to sleep now."

Elliot relaxed against the pillow, giving in to his mother's commands.

"Close your eyes."

"I…"

"Now, Elliot. You need to sleep."

He stared at her for a moment, and did as she asked. He closed his eyes and drifted off.


	47. Chapter 47

Elliot opened his eyes, and looked up at Olivia. She smiled slightly down at him. "Hey, El."

"Hi," he answered, looking down at their intertwined hands. The mask had been removed from his face, and he was breathing fine.

"How're you feeling?" she took his hand in both of hers and moved to sit on the edge of his bed.

He sighed, and shook his head. "Tired. Hurt. Physically and emotionally."

She leaned down and kissed him gently. "It's going to be okay, honey."

He reached into the hospital gown, and ripped off the dog tags that he still wore. He stared at them for a moment. "I thought I was in America."

Olivia pulled him into her arms gently. She didn't know what she could say. Tears formed in her eyes as she hugged him tightly. He winced. "Ow."

"I'm sorry," she said. "God, I'm so sorry, El."

"It's okay," he said. "You didn't know. I'm fine."

She bit her lip. "That's not the only thing I'm apologizing for, El."

"Then what?"

She bit her lip. "I'm sorry you had to go through… what you went through. I wish you hadn't had to."

Elliot pulled her hand into his lap with both of his, and he smiled at her. "I don't. I'm going to be fine, Liv, and… I got a chance to save those people. I chose to run in to that building. Jack and I…"

Pain flashed through him as he thought of his partner. "Liv, I need to see him. Please, let me see him."

The sadness and pleading in his eyes drove her over the edge. She couldn't say no. She smiled slightly at him. "Okay, okay. I'll go talk to the doctor."

Twenty minutes later, a nurse pushed a wheelchair into the hospital room. Elliot gave an exasperated sigh, "Liv, come on. I don't need the wheelchair."

"It wasn't my idea," Olivia said. "But you definitely can't walk by yourself, and even if you could, you shouldn't. You're still really hurt."

He sighed, and let Olivia help him into the wheelchair. His chest burned as he did so, and he winced.

Olivia pushed him out of his hospital room. "El, I have to warn you… you may not like what you see. Jack is in even worse shape than you are. You heard what Don said. He's…"

"He's probably going to die," Elliot finished. "I know. But I have to see him at least one more time. He's my partner, Liv."

She reached down and squeezed his shoulder. "Okay, El."

Olivia pushed him into the intensive care unit, down the hall, and through the third door on the left. Elliot braced himself, grabbed the handles of the wheelchair and took a deep breath. His breathing caught in his chest when he saw his once great partner laying in the hospital bed. His face was pale; his forehead was wrapped with gauze. There were cuts and bruises all over his face and arms.

"Jack," Elliot said. "Jesus Christ…"

Olivia wheeled him next to Jack's bed, and sat beside him. Jack's eyes opened slowly, and he smiled. His voice came out soft, raspy and weak. "Hey, kid. You look like shit."

"Seen yourself recently?" Elliot asked.

"Yeah," Jack answered. "I'm dying."

Elliot flinched. "Jack… I'm so sorry…"

"Hey. None of that shit, Elliot. I ran after you into that building all on my own." Jack turned to the woman that was sitting next to him. "This must be the lovely fiancée that Elliot can't stop talking about. Olivia?"

She smiled, and nodded. "It's nice to meet you, Jack."

Jack brushed her off, and turned back to Elliot. "What the hell happened to you?"

"Same thing as you," Elliot answered. "Got caught in the debris after our fall. Jack, they told me… I wish I could've done something."

"What did I tell you, Elliot? I chose to follow you on my own. There's nothing that you could have done. Now I'm going to die, but it's okay. Don't blame yourself."

Elliot was silent.

"Hey. You promise me that you won't blame yourself after I go." Elliot hesitated. "You promise me, Stabler."

"Okay," Elliot said. "I promise."

"Alright. Now get out of here, you don't need to sit here and watch me die."

Elliot shook his head. "I'm not leaving you again."

"There's nothing you can do, Elliot. Thank you for coming, now say your goodbyes and go back to your room. You look like you could use some rest."

Elliot bit his lip. "It was an honor working with you, Jack. You were a great partner."

"So were you, Elliot. You'll make Detective in no time." Jack nodded towards Olivia, and she agreed silently, pulling him slowly out of the hospital room. She pushed him back to his room and helped him into the bed. She covered him up with the blanket, and sat down beside him. He wiped his eyes, which were wet with tears.

"It's gonna be okay, El."

He nodded silently. "I hope so, Liv."

She leaned down, and kissed him. "It will."

Elliot relaxed back in the bed, and his eyes closed slowly. Vaguely, he heard Olivia say goodnight and drifted off to sleep.

"How's he doing?" Cragen asked, walking into the hospital room, closing the door behind him.

"Taking it pretty hard," Olivia answered quietly. "Especially what happened to Jack."

"I just stopped by Jack's room," Don said. "He died twenty minutes ago."

Her heart sunk, "Oh, no…"

Don nodded. "He was a great cop. He's going to be missed."

"Especially by his partner," Olivia whispered, running her hand through his hair. "Jesus, he's been through so much, I… I don't know how much more he'll be able to take."

"He's stronger than he realizes," Don said. "He'll get through it, it'll just take time. And love."

"He's got plenty of that," Olivia whispered, grasping his hand lightly.

Don pat her back lightly, and nodded. "Yes, he does."

Elliot opened his eyes slowly, and looked from Don to Olivia. They both smiled at him, and Olivia squeezed his hand. "Welcome back."

"Thanks," he rasped.

He turned to Don. "How's it going?"

"Not too good," the captain answered. "Jack Young passed about a half hour ago. I'm sorry, Elliot."

He sighed shakily, shoulders sagging. "Jack…"

Elliot wiped at his eyes and tried to sit up, but he was still to weak and his body was still on fire when he tried.

There was a soft knock on the door and Elliot's eyes raised his eyes. The heart monitor that he was attached to started beeping erratically. Both Don and Olivia turned towards the source. Joe Stabler was standing in the doorway.

"You should leave, Joe," Don said immediately, spotting Elliot's heart rate skyrocket.

"What are you doing here? How did you even know I was here?" Elliot asked.

Joe looked from Elliot to Don. "You didn't tell him what really happened, did you, Cragen?"

"He doesn't need that sort of emotional distress right now," the captain answered. "You know what he went through."

Elliot's head spun. "What the hell are you two talking about? What happened? Joe, why the hell are you here?"

"Are you going to tell him the truth, or will I?"

Don stared at the ground. Joe stepped further into the hospital room. "Who do you think found you, Elliot? Buried under that rubble?"

Elliot's eyebrows furrowed. "You're not even on the force anymore. How the hell did you know I was there? How did you find me?"

Joe shrugged, staring at the wall behind the bed.

"Joe."

"I wanted to talk with you." He began. "To apologize for what happened a couple weeks ago. When the towers were hit… I thought I was going to lose you."

"You were stalking me," Elliot said, eyebrows furrowing.

"I wasn't stalking you, Elliot. I told you, I just wanted to talk with you. After it happened, I ran to find you in the rubble."

"You dug me up?"

Joe nodded, pain filling his eyes. "When I saw you… I thought you were already gone. There was blood all over you and you could barely breath. I threw you over my shoulder and I ran."

It suddenly started to come back.

_ When he came to, his whole body was in pain. He groaned, tried to open his eyes, but they wouldn't open. His chest was on fire; he could barely breathe. _

_ "Elliot! Wake up, please. Please don't die on me." It was Joe's voice. He was lifted off of the ground, and he groaned as they started moving. _

_ "I know, son. Just hang on. I'm going to get you out of here. I swear."_

He was in the hospital bed again. Joe was looking down at him. "Elliot?"

"You tried to punch me," Elliot muttered.

"I know I did," Joe said. He turned to Don and Olivia. "Can we have some privacy?"

"It's okay," Elliot told them. "You guys can go."

When they had gone, Elliot turned to Joe. "You said you were changed. You were going to therapy. You were getting better. You went back on your word, you son of a bitch. You tried to hurt me again."

Pain filled Joe's eyes. "I know Elliot. You have no idea how much I regret that. Please give me another chance. I'm begging you."

"You saved my life," Elliot said. "I'm so grateful for that. But I already gave you another chance. You broke it. I can't trust you anymore. I can't be looking over my shoulder, hoping you're not going to smack Olivia around, or my kids around, if I have any. I'll never let anyone relive what you did to me. I can't."

"I know I broke your trust," Joe said, tears in his eyes. "I'm not trying to deny that. But I love you, Elliot. You're my son and I will love you for as long as I live. But when you said you wanted to join SVU because of me, I just… couldn't handle it. I was so angry with you because… you think of Don as more of a father than me. That kills me."

"You told me yourself that Don was more a father to me than you!" Elliot shouted.

"I lied!" Joe yelled. "I lied. I got a taste of having my son and that felt so good. I was selfish."

Elliot shook his head, scrubbing his face with his hands. "You need to leave. Don was right; I can't be dealing with this right now. You need to leave me to recover."

Joe reached out to touch Elliot's shoulder, but he pulled back. "Please leave, Joe."

The older Stabler stared down at the floor, and nodded. "Please… just think about it, Elliot. I've got nothing without you and your mother. That's what I learned through those years in prison. You two are the most important people in my life. And Olivia, too."

Don and Olivia replaced Joe once again. Elliot held out his arms, looking at Olivia pleadingly. She smiled at him and sat down next to him on the mattress. She ran her hand though his hair lovingly.

"Liv…" he whispered. "Please."

She couldn't say no to him. After toeing off her shoes, she lay down beside him and drew him into her arms gently, careful of the mess of tubes around him and his injuries. He closed his eyes, finally comfortable in her arms. His head fell back against her shoulder and he drifted back to sleep.

Hours later, Olivia awoke to knocking on the door. She had moved back to the chair next to Elliot when a nurse came to check his vitals. A man with dark hair and a captain's police uniform stood in the doorway.

"I don't think we've met," he said quietly, stepping into the hospital room.

"Captain Greene," Olivia answered. "Elliot's captain."

"You must be Olivia," Greene said, smiling. "He talks about you all the time."

Olivia smiled back. "How can I help you, Captain?"

The smile disappeared from Greene's face. "I just came from Jack's room… may he rest in peace… and I wanted to see how my other officer was doing."

Olivia glanced at the sleeping Elliot. "He's going to make a full recovery. It was dodgy for a while, before he regained consciousness… but Elliot's a fighter."

Greene chuckled, sitting across from her on the other side of the bed. "That's Elliot. One of the finest young officers I've ever worked with. I'm sure you're no different."

"Thank you, Captain," Olivia said, smiling as she took Elliot's hand. He stirred, groaned, and opened his eyes slowly.

"Captain?" he rumbled.

"Welcome back, Elliot," Greene said. "How are you feeling?"

"As well as I can be, I suppose," Elliot answered. He started to sit up, to show a little professionalism in front of his boss, but both he and Olivia pushed him back down.

"Whoa, there, soldier," Greene said. "You're in no shape for that. Relax."

"Cap…"

"I don't want to hear it, Stabler. You're injured; you're not going anywhere. Got it?"

"Yes, Sir," Elliot surrendered.

"Now I know this is going to be hard for you… but as your CO, I need to get your statement about what happened last Tuesday."

Elliot took a deep breath, feeling Olivia squeeze his hand. He hesitated for a moment, and then nodded. "Right now?"

"Whenever you're ready."

"Right now," Elliot affirmed. "Let's get it over with."

Greene took out a tape recorder, and Elliot started to speak. He told the captain about being on patrol on Liberty Street, right through to waking up that first time in the hospital. When he was finished, the anguish was rolling off of him in waves. How had something like this ever happened?

"You did good, Elliot," Greene said when they were finished. "You saved a lot of people by running in there with no backup, no nothing. That took a lot of courage."

Elliot shook his head. "I was just doing my job. I'd do it all over again."

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading! Hope you review!


	48. Chapter 48

A/N: Chapter 48 is here! I'd just like to give a shout out to military man34 and ACBrother1 for their very kind reviews on the last chapter. I'm glad you guys are enjoying it so much!

* * *

"They're talking about releasing you tomorrow or Wednesday," Olivia told him, taking a bite of her sandwich.

Elliot's eyes lit up as he chewed on his lunch. Swallowing, he said, "Really?"

"Uh-huh," she said. "Bed rest though. Think you can handle that?"

"I'll do anything to get out of here," Elliot answered. "Hate hospitals."

She laughed. "I know you do, El. Don't worry, though, you'll be home soon."

He smiled. "Any news on what happened?"

Olivia's smile disappeared. She shook her head. "They were terrorist attacks. That's all we know."

"Terrorist attacks…" he mumbled. "Here in America…"

He scrubbed his hands over his face. "What a world."

Olivia reached out, running her hand down his arm gently. "I know, El. I know. Try not to think about it too much, huh? Don't stress yourself out."

"Whoever they were, they killed Jack, Liv. I need to know who they are."

"You will, sweetie. Just give it time."

He sighed. It seemed to her that his whole body had deflated. She reached out to him, and he allowed her to pull him gently into her embrace.

"Wish I could be out there," he mumbled, staring out the window. "Investigating, helping clear out the debris, anything."

"You already did enough, sweetie," she answered softly. "You have to recover now."

The next day, Elliot was released from the hospital just like Olivia had promised. She drove him home and threatened him with bodily harm until he got into bed to rest. With the light off, the door closed and Elliot tucked safely into bed, she sat down on the couch and flipped on the TV. Reports of the attacks were still playing on every channel. She couldn't handle more news, more like anti news, so she turned off the set and opened her book.

Hours later, she opened the door quietly and looked at her sleeping fiancé. He was a sight for sore eyes; blanket wrapped around his waist, sleeping peacefully. The cuts, bruises and various more serious wounds wrapped in gauze did nothing to lessen his handsomeness. Olivia set down the glass of water she had been holding.

She sat down beside him, and couldn't help her urge to touch. She ran her hand softly down his shoulder. He stirred. She pulled back, but it was too late. His eyes opened.

"Hey, El. Sorry I woke you."

He shook his head. "It's okay. It's late anyways."

She reached for the glass of water on the nightstand and held it out for him. "Here, why don't you drink this? You must be thirsty."

He sat up, took the water, and gulped it down. "Thanks."

Smiling, she nodded. "Do you want some dinner? I'll call for Chinese."

"That sounds good," he answered. She smiled, kissed him and made her way out to the kitchen to the phone. He followed her out, sat on the couch and flipped on the TV.

"Hey, what are you doing out here?" she asked after hanging up. "You're supposed to be in bed."

"You know me, Liv. If I spend weeks in that bed I'm going to lose my mind. It's fine, I'm just sitting here, not doing anything strenuous."

She bit her lip, and nodded. "Fine. But you go from the bed to the couch, no more. Or I'm going to tie you down. Understand?"

Elliot wagged his eyebrows, "Sounds kinky."

She gave him a death glare. _"Elliot."_

"Okay, okay," he said. "I understand."

"Good. Now move your ass over so I can sit, too."

Long weeks went by. Elliot, who absolutely hated being confined to the apartment, swore that he was going to go mad if he had to spend another moment stuck there. He heard nothing from Joe, which he was grateful for, but Don and Bernie came to see him and Olivia often, usually together.

Elliot was silently starting to wonder about their relationship. With only a few days left on his prison sentence, he voiced them to Olivia. "You think there's anything… going on with my mom and Don?"

She dropped the magazine that she had been reading and stared at him. "Huh?"

"Well, it's just that they've been spending an awful lot of time together, it seems," Elliot said.

"Well, they have a lot in common. Namely, you," Olivia answered.

Elliot looked down at his palms. "I know, but every single time they come? Don't you think that's a little… suspicious?"

Olivia shrugged. "Maybe. I don't know, El. But if there is something going on, I'm sure they'd tell you. You're their son, after all."

"I'm _her _son."

"You call Don dad. You're his son, both in the law and in emotion."

Elliot nodded. "Yeah, you're right."

That following Monday, Elliot woke up at four in the morning, got dressed in his new police uniform (the other one had been ruined) and headed off to the precinct for the first time in over a month. When he walked in, heads immediately started to turn. He didn't know who started it, or why, but soon the whole squad room was bursting with applause. Officers were around him, patting him on the back, telling him how good it was to see him and giving him their condolences to Jack.

Somehow, he ended up in Greene's office. "Welcome back."

"Thank you, sir."

"I spoke to the Chief yesterday," the captain said, a smile coming across his face. "They want to give you a medal."

"A medal?" Elliot asked. "For what?"

"What do you think, Elliot?"

Elliot shook his head. "No, I can't accept anything like that. I was just doing my job, Captain. Nothing more."

"You're too damn modest, Elliot. You did a lot more than that. Your partner died, and you nearly did as well," Greene hesitated and his voice softened. "They're giving it to Jack posthumously. Accept the award."

Elliot sighed, and imagined Jack's voice in his head._ "Come on, kid. You deserve it."_

Finally, he nodded. "Alright. What do I have to do?"

"Nothing," Greene answered. "I already accepted it for you. You'll get an invitation in a couple of days."

"Dammit, Captain, why'd you tell me if you already told them yes?"

Greene smiled, picking up his pen. "I wasn't going to let you pass this up, Stabler. Now get your ass out of my office and get to work."

"Wait, Captain… with no partner?"

Greene sighed, setting his pen back down. He stared at Elliot for a moment. "Way I see it, you're not going to be in this unit for much longer. You're not going to need one."

"Not in this… Captain, do you mean…?"

"I'm not stupid, Elliot. I always knew that this was just a stepping-stone for you. And you've more than proven yourself. You'll get your gold shield soon."

Emotion overcame him. He nodded once at the captain, and stood, heading back out to the squad room. _You've more than proven yourself._

He sat down, wincing as a small pang of pain crossed his chest, and picked up his pen. _You'll get your gold shield soon. _He couldn't help the smile that crossed his face as he went to work.

Later that evening, Olivia was sitting alone in their apartment waiting for him to get home. She was starting to worry; usually he was home by now.

Finally the door opened and he walked inside. She stood to greet him, but stopped in her tracks when she saw his disheveled appearance. His uniform was rumpled and covered with dirt and dust. She approached him as he toed off his boots and hung his cap.

"Elliot, where were you?"

He slipped his jacket off, and she took it from him, intent on getting it and the rest of his clothing into the wash.

"Ground zero," he answered. "Went to go help them clear out the debris. It's awful, Liv, the place looks like a warzone."

She sighed, guiding him towards the bathroom. "The doctors said you should take it easy for a while. You're still healing. What are you doing out there working yourself like that?"

He shrugged, and winced. Concern immediately flooded her. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he answered. "I'm just a little sore. I have to do something. I can't just stand by and watch."

"You're going to make yourself more hurt," Olivia started peeling the layers of clothes off of his body.

"I'm fine, Liv."

She reached behind him, turning on the shower. "For now you are. I'll take these clothes and get them into the wash."

Elliot sighed as she left. He got into the shower under the warm spray, sighing as it started to relax his aching muscles. He really had worked himself to the bone.

When he walked into the bedroom, towel tied around his waist, she was on the bed facing away from him. He pulled on a pair of sweats before laying beside her. "Liv?"

Her eyes were filled with tears when she turned towards him. His heart broke as he pulled her close.

"You don't understand," she whispered in his ear. "I came so close to losing you. You were almost dead, Elliot. And here you are straining yourself while your body is still trying to recover, taking your health for granted. Don't you know how badly you were injured? Jesus, you couldn't even breathe on your own!"

Fear shot through him. His arms tightened around her as he felt his own eyes moisten. "I was trying to help…"

"You're going to work yourself to death!" her voice was trembling. "If you keep going like this, you're going to die and I don't know how I would be able to live with myself."

He clenched his eyes shut, and nodded. "I'm sorry. No more of that, I promise. I'm sorry."

She kissed his cheek and held him tighter. "I'm just looking out for you."

"I know," he answered.

Olivia pulled away from him and wiped the wetness out of his eyes. "You must be hungry after all that work. Let me make you something to eat."

He smiled softly, and nodded. They both got up from bed and headed into the kitchen. She made him sit down at the table despite his insistence that he could help. Instead, he sat and watched her walk around the kitchen preparing his meal.

When she set a plate in front of him but none for herself, he gave her a puzzled look. "Aren't you going to eat?"

"I already did before you got home," she said. "Eat."

He ate. When he was finished, she took his plate and put it into the sink. They transferred into the living room and put in a movie to watch, silently agreeing that watching more reports of the twin towers was something that neither of them wanted to do.

Elliot was exhausted from working all day. He rested his head on her shoulder as the movie played, and eventually let his eyes close. He didn't remember falling asleep.

* * *

A/N: Thank you guys for all of your support. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and let me know what you think of it.


	49. Chapter 49

Joe was sitting in a dark living room. The place was trashed. There were empty beer bottles and take out containers littering the coffee table. Newspapers that he never really read were on the floor. He took a long drink from a beer bottle, set it down, and picked up the gun that was beside it. He knew that having both a weapon and alcohol were violations of his parole, but he didn't care.

His mind kept flashing back to that moment. He remembered talking to Elliot, and then swinging at him… his own son had beat the shit out of him. He never thought that he would see the day.

_Joe knocked on the door of his home before prison. When it opened, Don Cragen was standing on the threshold._

_ "What the hell are you doing here?" Joe asked._

_ "I could ask you the same question," Don answered. "What do you want, Joe?"_

_ "To talk with my wife," Joe said. "Or are you stealing her from me too?"_

_ "I didn't steal anyone from you. You took care of that all by yourself."_

_ Bernie came to the door, and Joe couldn't help to see the way her hand brushed across Don's back, the way she leaned into him the way that she did with Joe himself early in their relationship. _

_ "Joe? What are you doing here?"_

_ "I came to talk with you. I want my family back."_

_ "I know about what you did at the lake," Bernie said. "I'm sorry, but I can't be around you, and neither can Elliot."_

_ "You're my family!" Joe shouted._

_ "You abused our son. Even after you were given a second chance from him, you couldn't help yourself."_

_ "It was a mistake! I didn't want to hurt Elliot."_

_ "I think it's time to go, Joe," Don said._

_ "Shut your damn mouth, Cragen!" Joe turned to Bernie. "What is he doing here? Why is he with you?"_

_ "Don treats both Elliot and I the way we deserve to be treated," she said. "We've become a real family."_

_ "You've been sleeping with the bastard."_

_ "We love each other."_

_ Joe turned and ran from the porch. _

He came straight to the apartment and took the gun out from the box he kept it in. What was the use of living anymore? His whole family hated him.

As much as he wanted to put the gun in his mouth and pull the trigger, he couldn't help picking up the phone and dialing the number that he knew by heart.

"Stabler," he heard his son bark into the receiver.

"Elliot."

"What are you calling for? I told you I couldn't talk to you."

"I'm sorry. I… needed to hear your voice one last time."

"What are you talking about, Joe?"

Pain shot through him. Elliot wasn't even calling him dad anymore.

"You're never going to have to deal with me again," he said, feeling the tears stream down his face. "I'm sorry for what I did to you."

"Where are you? What are you doing?"

"I'm home," Joe said, raising the gun to his temple. "And I'll be in hell soon."

"Joe, don't do anything stupid," Elliot said. Joe could hear his breathing hasten. Was he running? It didn't matter. By the time he got here, there would be nothing that he could do.

"Go to Don," he said. "Your father."

"Let's talk. Please, just talk to me."

Joe smiled slightly. "We've already talked. Goodbye, Elliot."

Elliot heard a deafening blast from the other end of the line and his jog turned into an all out sprint to his car. His injuries were burning, but the adrenaline pushed him through. He got into his car and sped off.

The door to the apartment flew off the hinges when Elliot kicked it. He flipped the lights on. The first thing that he saw was his body, laying in a pool of his own blood. He fell to his knees beside the man, took his pulse, but there was nothing. He was dead.

Dead. His father was dead. The man that beat him for almost a decade was dead. Dead. Gone. Elliot stumbled back. He'd seen dead bodies before. He'd seen the blood. But this…

He couldn't handle this.

He called it in. Left the apartment and stood outside. He waited. When the elevator door finally opened and Don rushed through, Elliot sat on the floor against the wall and stared at his hands.

"Elliot?" Don kneeled in front of him. "What happened?"

"He's dead," Elliot said, looking up at Don. "He called me… and shot himself. I was on the line, I heard him die. I heard him die and there was nothing I could do. I let him die, Don, he's dead because of me."

"Take it easy, Elliot," Don said. "It's okay."

"Why'd he do that?"

"He couldn't live with himself anymore," the captain said. "He finally had enough. There's nothing that you could have done, Elliot. None of this is your fault."

"I gotta get out of here," he rasped, standing and heading towards the elevator.

"That's fine. Come on, let's get you out of here. I'll call your captain, you need some time off."

Elliot shook his head. "No. I have to go back to work. I have to go."

They got off of the elevator and Elliot rushed towards his car. Don grabbed his arm. "Elliot. You're not going to work after what just happened. He was your father."

"No he wasn't. I don't need him. I never needed him."

Elliot pulled from his grasp, got into his car, and Don watched as he pulled away. He sighed, and took out his phone.

When Elliot got back to the precinct, he sat down at his desk and got to work. The hand that he used to write was shaking.

"Elliot, in my office."

The officer took a deep breath and dropped his pen, walking into the captain's office. "What's up, Captain?"

"Don Cragen called me. He said you needed time off," Greene said.

"He tell you why?"

"Just that it was a death in the family," Greene said. "Now are you going to go willingly or am I going to have to suspend you?"

"I'm fine," Elliot answered. "I don't want any time off. I'm perfectly capable of doing my job."

"Well, Cragen seems to think differently. You want to tell me what happened?"

"My father just killed himself," Elliot released.

Greene frowned. "I'm sorry, Elliot."

"He physically abused me for ten years."

A moment of silence passed. Greene rubbed his hands together. "I'm giving you two weeks of paid leave. Go home and grieve your loss."

"Didn't you hear what I just said?"

"Yes, I did, Elliot," Greene said, leaning forward. "And I feel terrible about that. It never should have happened to you. But that doesn't mean that you didn't love your father deep down. You need to go home and get your head straight. You don't want a suspension in your jacket, do you?"

"You'd do that to me?"

"If that's what it takes for you to get the time you need, yes. I would."

Elliot got up and headed for the door, defeated. "Guess I'll see you in two weeks then."

"You'll understand why I'm doing this, Elliot," Greene said. "I want what's best for you."

Elliot had been sitting in the apartment for about five minutes before there was knocking on the door. It was Don. He walked inside, closed the door, and there was silent. Elliot hadn't even said hello.

"I just wanted to let you know that I'm taking care of everything," Don said. "The arrangements."

"You can throw him to the dogs for all I care," Elliot said.

"I know that's not true, Elliot," Don said, sitting on the couch beside him. "You loved your father. If you didn't, you never would have given him a second chance."

"And he ruined it."

"The more you lie to yourself, the hardest this all is going to be on you," Don said gently.

Elliot scrubbed his hands over his face. "I just want to be left alone, Don."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

Don sighed, making his way to the door. "You know I'm always here if you need me."

Elliot nodded silently. Don made his way out of the apartment and closed the door behind him.

Olivia arrived home not a half an hour later. She sat down beside him. "Elliot, are you okay? Don told me what happened with Joe."

"I'm fine," he answered. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Not even with me?" she asked, running her hand over his hair.

"No. I'm sorry, Liv, I just…" Elliot hesitated, and stood. "I need to be alone right now."

Her heart cracked as he grabbed his jacket and slammed the door behind him as he left. She sighed. He had never flat out rejected her like that, and it hurt more than she imagined.

She stayed up waiting for him for hours. By the time he arrived him, reeking of booze, it was two o'clock in the morning.

She watched as he collapsed on the couch, pulled the blanket over him and passed out, seemingly not even noticing her sitting on the recliner with the lamp on. Sighing, Olivia got up and headed into the bedroom. She closed the door behind her and went to sleep.

The next morning, he was still on the couch sleeping when she walked into the living room. She wanted to gather him into her arms and kiss him until the pain went away, but she couldn't help the emotional pain that he had caused her the night before. She walked into the kitchen and put on a pot of coffee.

When he walked into the kitchen an hour later, she was sitting at the table reading a book.

"Where did you go last night?" she asked.

Elliot shook his head, going for the Advil that they kept in the cabinet above the stove. "Nowhere."

"So you got drunk of air?" she asked.

Elliot shrugged. "I guess not."

"Look Elliot, I know that you think that there's nothing wrong with you, but there clearly is. Your father killed himself yesterday."

He dropped the bottle of pills onto the counter and turned towards her. "He's dead. That's the end of it."

"I know you still loved him."

"Why does everyone keep saying that?" Elliot asked. "He betrayed me, why should I feel anything positive for him?"

Olivia walked to him, and rested a hand over his heart. "Because love doesn't make any sense. He hurt you badly, but he's still your father."

"Shitty father."

Olivia pulled him into her arms, and hugged him tightly. "I know, Elliot. But it's still okay to let go."

He pulled away from her. "I don't want to. There's nothing to let go."

She watched as he turned away from her and headed into the bedroom.

"I'm sorry, Elliot," she whispered. "I wish I knew how to help you."


	50. Chapter 50

"How's he doing?" Cragen asked softly. He and Olivia were sitting in the coffee shop down the street from their apartment.

Olivia shook her head, running her hand through her hair. "Shut off. I can't get him to talk to me. Every time I do, he shuts me out or storms off."

"That's Elliot," Don said, sighing. "Stubborn son of a bitch."

"How can I help him, Don?" she asked. "He's clearly upset, I want to make him feel better, but he keeps shutting me out."

"He's just going to need time," Don told her. "He knows you're there for him, when he decides to talk he'll come to you."

"How do you know that? He's never acted this way towards me."

"He has to me," Don said. "After you left for Texas. He got over it eventually. He talked with me."

Olivia sighed, running her hand through her hair. "How are the arrangements going?"

"The funeral is going to be tomorrow," Don said. "That's one of the reasons I asked you here today. We're not doing a wake because… well, you know what happened. It's going to be closed casket."

Olivia sighed and nodded. "Okay. I should probably get home and let him know."

"Everything's going to be fine, Olivia," Don said, smiling softly at her. "I know it doesn't seem like it, but there's only so long Elliot can go without speaking to the woman he loves."

Olivia returned the smile halfheartedly. "I hope so."

When she arrived home, he was flipping mindlessly through the channels on the television.

"Hey," she greeted.

He looked at her for a moment before turning back towards the TV. "Hi."

"I was just with Don," she said, moving towards him. "The funeral is going to be tomorrow."

He flipped the power off and the apartment was silent. "Tomorrow?"

Olivia nodded, sitting beside him. "Tomorrow."

She heard him sigh shakily. "Okay."

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm alright."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

"I really would understand if you weren't. It's okay to be confused right now. Hell, I would be."

"I don't miss him."

"Then why did you run to him during that phone call? If you didn't care, why didn't you just let him kill himself in peace?"

Elliot was silent.

"You know I'm always here for you, Elliot," she said, standing. "But if you keep pushing me away like this, I don't know how much more I'll be able to take."

"You're going to leave me?"

Her heart softened when she saw the fear in his eyes. She sat back down, shaking her head. "No, Elliot. I'm not going to leave you. I just love you and I want to be here for you."

"I love you too," he whispered. "I just… I don't want to talk about it, Liv. I don't want to be stuck here for another week and a half, I want to go back to work and get my mind off of it."

"I understand," Olivia said, "But what's going to happen then, El? You're just going to push aside your emotions without dealing with them? The longer you bottle them up, the more likely you're going to explode."

He sighed, turning away from her. She leaned over and kissed him gently on the back of his neck. "I'm going to be right here when you want to talk. I promise."

The next morning, Elliot dressed in a black suit and a pair of sunglasses. Olivia told him that she would drive, but he insisted on doing it himself. She looked like she was going to protest, but in the end kept her mouth shut and let him drive to the funeral home.

There weren't very many people at the funeral. Only a few co-workers and Don, Bernie, Elliot and Olivia were there. Elliot kept his fists in tight balls the whole time. The priest spoke of Joe's career, his "loved ones", but not a word about his prison time of what he was convicted of. Elliot wasn't surprised. He was expecting something like that.

"Would Joseph's son like to come up and say a few words?" the priest finally asked, looking directly Elliot.

The officer squirmed uncomfortably in his seat for a moment. No, there was nothing good that he could say about the man. The priest wasn't having no for an answer though. He waited patiently for several long, painful moments before Elliot finally stood and made his way to the front.

He cleared his throat. "There's… not much I can say about Joe Stabler," he began, shifting uncomfortably. "He wasn't… well he wasn't a nice man. But towards the end, I guess, um… I guess he tried his best. He tried to become a better man and father."

Elliot turned, glancing at the closed coffin. "The last time I spoke with him, he apologized to me. He said goodbye. I guess that's all I could have asked for."

He sat back down next to Olivia, who grabbed his hand and squeezed. He was glad for the contact.

At the cemetery, they lowered the coffin into the ground. Elliot stood there as everyone paid their final respects, gave him their condolences and got into their cars to leave. Finally, it was just Olivia and he. Don and Bernie were waiting in the car for them.

"C'mon, El," she said softly to him.

Elliot glared at the script on the headstone. Finally, the tears started to stream down his face. He took two quick strides, wound up, and kicked the stone as hard as he could. And he kicked it again. And again. And again. The tears flowed freely down his face. He finally collapsed into a crumpled heap onto the stone. His body shook with his grief.

"You son of a bitch," he rasped. "You fucking self-centered piece of shit, this is what you wanted, isn't it? You wanted to see me fucking cry, to fucking want you back. I hate you. I hate you so goddamn much."

He let out a broken sob. "I can't hate you. No matter how hard I try, I can't get myself to not care. Why the fuck did you have to do this to me?"

Olivia kneeled down beside him, and gently took the sunglasses off of his face. His eyes were red and wet with tears when she did. She pulled him gently into her arms. "It's okay, sweetheart. It's going to be okay."

"It hurts, Liv," he whispered.

"I know it does," she answered, running her hand gently up and down his back. "I know. But it'll go away."

He wiped his eyes, and took his sunglasses from her hands. "Let's get out of here."

She took the keys from him. "I'll drive."

He didn't fight her this time. He got into the passenger seat and closed his eyes, as the car started moving.

So much had happened over the past few months… he had been injured from a terrorist attack, told that he would receive a medal for it, not to mention his gold shield, and listened to his father commit suicide over the phone. His emotions were drained.

He knew it would get better though. He knew that he would always have this woman next to him, by his side.

That's really all he needed.

* * *

A/N: Please review and let me know what you think. What do you guys want to see next?


End file.
